Steve Schankman, President

Steven F. Schankman founded Contemporary Productions in 1968 as a regional band booking agency. Contemporary evolved into one of the nation's top producers of entertainment, corporate marketing programs, special events, venue ownership and management. Contemporary developed Riverport Amphitheatre in St. Louis in 1991, Sandstone Amphitheatre in Kansas City in 1992 (now both called Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre) and co-development of The Pageant nightclub in St. Louis in 2001. Contemporary Productions has been recognized as one of the most diversified companies in the global entertainment industry.

In 1998, Contemporary Productions was sold to SFX Music, the world's largest live entertainment company. With the sale of SFX Music to Clear Channel Entertainment in 2000, Steve left to re-launch Contemporary Productions, L.L.C., an international special events, entertainment marketing and venue management company. Having booked, produced and promoted diverse entertainment for nearly 40 years, Steve has brought a wide variety of entertainment to venues such as the ScottTrade Center, the Edward Jones Dome and the Touhill Performing Arts Center. Steve has produced entertainment in venues from ballrooms to ballparks and entertainment from Luciano Pavarotti to the Rolling Stones.

Other success stories include three award-winning national touring events for CBS Television as well as the Mall of America Grand Opening in Bloomington, Minnesota. This event received Special Event Magazine's Gala Award for Best Event Entertainment Concept. Steve cites his greatest achievement as producing the two day St. Louis visit of Pope John Paul, II in 1999.

Chairman of the Saint Louis Zoo Commission since 2000, Steve has also given financial contributions to the Zoo including a $1 million dollar gift for the Schankman Family Plaza which houses the Saint Louis Zoo's Animals Always sculpture created by international artist Albert Paley.

Steve serves on several boards including the Boy Scouts of America, Saint Louis Variety Club, University of Missouri-St. Louis Chancellor's Council and Commerce Bank.

Steve served for 23 years as executive producer, entertainment consultant and has recently been named Chairman of Fair Saint Louis/Live on the Levee for 2007-2008. An avid supporter of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, he donated the Symphony's outdoor performance pavilion and has served on the Executive Board.

With decades of producing and selling concert tickets to teenagers, Steve wanted to give back to the community and founded a non-profit organization called INOBTR "I Know Better," to educate Missouri's teens, parents and educators about the importance of Internet Safety. Launched March 2007, INOBTR's website www.INOBTR.org serves as an online resource that features Internet Safety tips, home Internet guidelines and most importantly how to act if threatened on the Internet

Steve has received numerous awards including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, St. Louis County Chamber of Commerce Business Man of the Year and the 2005 Clayton Chamber of Commerce Businessperson of the Year. He has been inducted into the University City High School Hall of Fame with such notables as William Bernoudy and Desmond Lee, and received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.