Phyllis George has become one of America's most accomplished women. Through her outstanding communication skills, her vision, her charitable efforts and entrepreneurial spirit, Phyllis is truly a role model to millions. Recently, she received Honorary Doctorate in Media Arts from the University of North Texas.
Phyllis recently returned to television on a full-time basis hosting a new daily half-hour television show called "Women's Day." It is based on the editorial content of the best-selling magazine of the same name. The program airs nationally on the new family oriented Paxnet TV network every weekday afternoon. The show tapes in New York City. In addition to in-studio celebrity interviews, the show deals with a cross-section of women's issues. Producing the show is Hachette Productions, the film and television arm of the publishing giant Hachette Filipachi.
Phyllis' fourth book, Living With Quilts, (GT Publishing), a beautiful new coffee-table book was just published. The book features a lot of quilts photographed around the country - with information on their history, how to display them, entertain with them etc.
Since winning the title of Miss America in 1971, Phyllis has gone on to unprecedented success in many different fields: in television as a pioneer female sports broadcaster, creator and host of her own primetime television show, "Spotlight With Phyllis George," in politics as First Lady of Kentucky, in the literary world as an author of two books on American crafts and in business as an entrepreneur who founded her own company, Chicken By George. She also has received numerous awards for her humanitarian efforts on behalf of charities, including the Distinguished Service Award from Save the Children. She was their national spokesperson and currently serves as the honorary chair of their advisory council.
Ms. George came into the spotlight when she was crowned the 50th Miss America in 1971 and remains one of the most popular and most recognizable. After her year as Miss America, she moved to New York, where she began her broadcasting career as the first female co-host of "Candid Camera." She continued in broadcasting by being the first woman sportscaster in America, co-anchoring the highly successful and Emmy Award winning "NFL Today Show" on CBS with Brent Musberger and Irv Cross form 1975 to 1984. She interviewed such football greats as Roger Staubach, Joe Namath and Terry Bradshaw. She co-hosted three Super Bowl broadcasts and six Rose Bowl Parades during her NFL Days.
In March 1979 Phyllis married John Y. Brown Jr. The ceremony was performed by her spiritual mentor, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. In November of the same year, she became First Lady of Kentucky when her husband was elected governor. Her accomplishments as first lady were widely respected and admired. She established the Kentucky Art and Craft Foundation in 1980, which has become a national role model for other states around the country. As a proponent of women's and children's issues, she lobbied for and supported Family Crisis Centers for abused women and children. She also spearheaded the reconstruction and renovation of the governor's mansion, which was condemned as a fire hazard shortly after she became first lady. The mansion was featured in Architectural Digest after the restoration and was recognized as one of the most beautiful in the country.
In 1985, she became co-anchor of the "CBS Morning News" broadcast. She interviewed celebrities and newsmakers such as First Lady Nancy Reagan, Lee Iococca and the late industrialist Armand Hammer. She also has interviewed Barbara Walters, Sherry Lansing, Elizabeth Dole, Senator Dianne Feinstein and former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Jean Fitzpatrick among others.
She has written two books on crafts, which were really a labor of love. She first wrote Kentucky Crafts: Handmade & Heartfelt (Crown), featuring 48 of Kentucky's most talented artisans. Her next book was Craft in America: Celebrating the Creative Work of the Hand (Summit).
She has hosted her own primetime television show on The Nashville Network and is the national spokesperson for Save the Children. She has been affiliated with this organization for the past 18 years. She was presented with the organization's Distinguished Service Award in 1994. Phyllis presented the same award to First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in a 1995 White House ceremony.
After living in Lexington, Kentucky, for 18 years, she now lives in New York City.