Peter Palermo is well-known in the metro area arts community as the founding director of the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts at McKendree University in Lebanon, IL. He supervised completion and occupancy of the university’s performing arts center in 2006, and created and curated the center’s performance series, “McKendree Presents,” working closely with faculty and student performers to coordinate nearly 200 events per year.
Palermo grew up splitting his time between Jefferson City, MO and the small town of Grand Island, NE. He has been a theater production professional for over 25 years and has produced and managed performances in 30 states and Europe. After attending the University of Nebraska, he moved to San Francisco where he began his career in the arts. Palermo is the former director of  operations and project manager for San Francisco’s beloved Stern Grove Festival Association where he managed all aspects of production for the summer-long outdoor concert series. He also served as an independent theater consultant, a project director for Holzmueller Productions in San Francisco, a production stage manager for ODC/Dance in San Francisco and as tour manager, technical director, booking manager and performer for San Francisco’s Make-A-Circus.
The Sheldon Arts Foundation appointed Palermo as their new executive director in December 2018, after an extensive national search process, led by global search firm DHR International and a committee of Sheldon board members and staff.

Peter Palermo is speaking at St. Louis Rotary on August 19, 2021.  Join us at the MAC Downtown or by ZOOM.

12 pm – 1 pm