Since 1999 the Mrs. Nebraska Organization has awarded one local titleholder an award for her outstanding achievements and involvement made during her reign to her platform, her community and her church. This year the local titleholder's award has been renamed the "Jan Wilcoxen Local Titleholder Award" as a tribute to Janice Wilcoxen.
Janice Wilcoxen was the Executive Director of the Mrs. Nebraska Pageant for 17 years. In 1999, she handpicked three of her former Mrs. Nebraska's (Terri Krolikowski, Deb Essex, and Tosca Phillips) to carry on her duties, and continue the tradition of promoting positive marriages and family. Prior to being the Executive Director, she was an Assistant Director to Bernice Johnson. Jan also was the Executive Director for the Mrs. Kansas Pageant for 5 years, and an assistant to the Mrs. Iowa Pageant for 2 years. She also directed local preliminaries to the Miss Nebraska America Pageant for several years. Jan has been married to Paul (Ozzie) Wilcoxen for 45 1/2 years. Together they have owned Lee's Chicken, in Lincoln, for 35 1/2 years, which is famous for its "Southern Fried Chicken".

Jan and Oz have one daughter, Michelle, who is married to Dennis Kann and they have six children; five handsome sons and one beautiful princess, who also live in Lincoln and help run the family business. In addition, Jan and Oz had a daughter, Millicent, who passed away in 1999.
Jan's community involvement included being a past president of the Lincoln Symphony Guild, as well as a past president of the Lincoln Restaurant Association. Furthermore, she was a past board member of the Nebraska Restaurant Association.
Jan's favorite hobbies include watching and judging pageants, working in her flowerbeds, and spending time with her grandchildren.
We salute and honor Janice Wilcoxen by renaming the 2005 Local Titleholder Award the "Jan Wilcoxen Local Titleholder Award".