Background
He was born in Buffalo on March 29, 1908. He grew up in Freyfield-Wolnepole, Poland, until around 1922, when he returned to Buffalo to live with an aunt.
He was born in Buffalo on March 29, 1908. He grew up in Freyfield-Wolnepole, Poland, until around 1922, when he returned to Buffalo to live with an aunt.
He worked at the Bethlehem Steel plant in Lackawanna, New York and in the 1930s, opened his own automobile agency. A Dodge-Plymouth franchise, known as Pankow Motors. 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, the Buffalo Skyway was extended, to erect a wider bridge over the Union Ship Canal, and the Kensington Expressway, the Niagara Thruway extension and the Scajaquada Creek Expressway were constructed. After his term he returned to automobile sales and worked at a number of patronage jobs with the city.
After a brief illness, he died on July 25, 1993. He is buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cheektowaga, New New York
