Management Team
Talk of the Town has been in operation since April 1993, founded by Steve Rothenberg. Steve managed a casino rental company for several years , which in turn, led to opening his own business. Steve was appointed by Maryland Governor Hogan, to the Maryland Amusement Ride Safety Board, in 2016. His involvement on the Board has shaped Talk of the Town to remain active and on top of all amusement ride safety issues and regulations – to ensure your event is set up and operated in a safe manner.
In March of 2024, TOTT underwent a change in ownership as Steve stepped away from the entertainment industry to focus on his family and personal life. TOTT’s new owners, Ray Schemmel and James Gaither, both have years of experience in the entertainment industry, and have eagerly expressed their passion to keep TOTT operating as it has for the past 30+ years. Jon Brown, General Manager of TOTT, has been working in the hospitality industry since he was 16. He’s been managing teams and organizations for over 11 years, but has worked as a server, bartender, manager, entertainer, and more!
Today, our sights are set on being the safest and most regulation-compliant amusement rental company in the DMV area. We work closely with the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation to ensure our equipment passes both state and internal inspections, and to keep a close eye on any regulation changes. As a larger entertainment company servicing the DMV area as well as Pennsylvania, we understand the importance of up-to-date safety protocols – Safety education and training is key to our company mission.
The Management Team at TOTT has a cumulative 25+ years of experience in the hospitality industry and the events world as a whole. Our job is to ensure that your events are fun, successful, and most importantly, the Talk of the Town!