Melissa Witek

Melissa Ann Witek is an American model, actress, television personality, and beauty queen born on April 9, 1981. She is best known for competing in the Miss USA pageant and appearing on the reality television show Treasure Hunters.

Witek was born in Rockledge, Florida, and later moved to Cocoa Beach, Florida. In August 2004, the city of Cocoa Beach presented her with the key to the city. During her higher education, she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority and attended the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. She graduated in 2003 with a degree in Public Relations.

Following her graduation, Witek entered the business sector. From 2003 to 2005, she served as the Chief Executive Officer and President of Ampex Granite, her own builders' supply company. She later spoke about her experience running the company during her live interview segment at the Miss USA pageant.

Witek began her pageantry career in February 2002 when she earned the title of Miss Florida Gator. With this title, she competed in the Miss Florida 2002 pageant under the Miss America system, though she did not place. In March 2004, she earned her first title within the Miss USA system by winning Miss Florida Panhandle USA. In May 2004, she competed against forty-seven other contestants in Hollywood, Florida, and won the Miss Florida USA crown, becoming the third consecutive University of Florida alumna to do so. Her state victory included prizes such as cash, a wardrobe, and the use of an apartment in Hollywood during her reign. On April 11, 2005, she represented Florida at the Miss USA 2005 pageant broadcast live on NBC from Baltimore, Maryland, where she finished as fourth runner-up to Chelsea Cooley of North Carolina, achieving her state's highest placement in the competition since 1987.

In addition to pageantry, Witek pursued television opportunities. Prior to her state pageant victory, she reached the semi-finals for the reality series The Bachelor, but was cut due to the potential that she knew the featured bachelor, former University of Florida football player Jesse Palmer. In April 2006, she was announced as a cast member for the NBC reality series Treasure Hunters, which aired beginning June 18, 2006. Taped in September and October 2005, Witek competed alongside fellow Miss USA 2005 contestants Kristen Johnson of Kentucky and Kaitlyn Christopher of Indiana as Team Miss USA, finishing as fourth runner-up in the competition.

As of 2020, Witek lives in Orlando, Florida. She is a registered Republican.