Armi Kuusela, Miss Universe 1952.

Armi Helena Kuusela-Williams formerly Kuusela-Hilario born August 20 1934 is a Finnish American beauty queen and philanthropist, best known for being the first-ever Miss Universe. Armi Helena Kuusela was one of six children born to Finnish parents who owned and operated a small family business, except when her father, a decorated veteran, fought for Finland during World War II. On May 24, 1952, Kuusela won Finland's national title, which qualified her to compete in the first Miss Universe Pageant. It also elevated her to the status of a Goodwill Ambassador for Finland. Among her prizes, she received a round trip ticket on Pan American Airlines to attend the first Miss Universe Pageant. On 17 June 1952, chaperoned by her older sister, Kuusela took the Pan Am flight from Helsinki to Long Beach, California, where she took part in the first Miss Universe Pageant. Thirty contestants participated in the Pageant, held on 28 June 1952. Kuusela, as Suomen Neito, captured the first Miss Universe crown. At her crowning, she was only 17 years old, weighed 49 kg and her height was 1.65 meters. Among her many prizes, Kuusela received a new car and a long-term movie contract from Universal Studios. As titleholder, she also became a Goodwill Ambassador for the Miss Universe organization. Kuusela was the only Miss Universe to be crowned with the Romanov Imperial Nuptial Crown. The crown was previously owned by the Russian monarchy. At the request of the Finnish government shortly after winning the Miss Universe Pageant, Kuusela attended the Olympics in Finland that year. While attending there, the Philippine trade delegation invited her to attend their first International Trade Exposition. On 22 February 1953, Kuusela embarked upon a world tour, again with her older sister as chaperone. She attended the Philippines Exposition and crowned Miss Philippines. While there, she met businessman, developer, and hotelier Virgilio Hilario at a dance in Baguio, a hill station 260 km north of Manila that served as the nation's summer capital. When Kuusela and her sister continued on their tour to Japan, Hilario followed to pursue her. After a whirlwind courtship, Kuusela chose to relinquish her crown shortly before her reign ended as Miss Universe, and married Hilario on 4 May 1953 in Tokyo. They honeymooned in Hawai‘i, then toured the United States and Europe, before settling in Manila. Kuusela and Hilario owned and operated Gilarmi Corporation, a real estate development company in Makati, which included their eponymous Gilarmi Hotel along Ayala Avenue, the first residential hotel in the Philippines. Between 1955 and 1965, they had five children: Arne, Anna-Lisa, José, Eva-Maria and Miguel. Hilario died of a heart attack on 7 September 1975, and until 1979, Kuusela was chief executive officer of Gilarmi Corporation and Honorary Counsels of Finland in Manila. Kuusela was married a second time to American diplomat Albert N. Williams, a Senior Officer with the United States Department of State on 8 June 1978. Kuusela supported Williams in his subsequent appointment as American Consul General in Barcelona, Spain, where they resided from 1979 to 1983. Kuusela has received numerous honors for her charity. In 2000, she received the Deming Award from the Burnham Cancer Research Institute and the Paul Harris Award for Philanthropy from the International Rotary Foundation. In 2008, she received the Fishman Foundation Award. In 2011, the City of San Diego designated August 10, 2011, as Armi Kuusela Williams Day, by Proclamation of Mayor Jerry Sanders. In 2012, the President of Finland awarded Kuusela the Order of the White Rose of Finland, with the rank of Knight.