Steven Pankow

Steven Pankow (March 29, 1908 – July 25, 1993) was Mayor of the City of Buffalo, New York, serving 1954–1957. He was born in Buffalo but grew up in Poland, until around 1922, when he returned to Buffalo to live with an aunt. He opened his own automobile agency, a Dodge-Plymouth franchise, known as Pankow Motors, 1930.

He served as clerk of Erie County, New York from 1949 to 1951. He was elected mayor on November 3, 1953, as the Democratic candidate. During his term, large highways were constructed to improve transportation in the city. After his term he returned to automobile sales and worked at a number of patronage jobs with the city.

Steven Pankow in The Hot War
In May 1952, Steven Pankow hosted an event in Buffalo, where President Harry Truman spoke in support of the Democratic Party's campaign to choose his successor. With his self-confidence, glibness, and the money he'd acquired from a successful career in car sales, Pankow seemed a shoe-in for the next mayorial election. After his speech, Truman congratulated Pankow for keeping his introduction short and to the point. As a man with ties to Poland, Pankow had plenty of reason to support the war against the Russians.