B.J. Alan Co. quits Regional Chamber

Prominent businessman Bruce Zoldan has withdrawn his wholesale fireworks company as a member of the area’s chamber of commerce, saying its chairman is taking too active a role in the gubernatorial race.

Zoldan, chief executive officer for B.J. Alan Co., told The Vindicator today that the decision was made after several of his employees urged him to have the company resign from the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber.

What triggered the reaction, he said, was Tom Humphries, the chamber’s president, co-hosting a fundraising event today for John Kasich, Republican candidate for governor.

Zoldan said his company will rejoin the chamber if either Humphries steps down as president or the chamber’s board establishes a policy not permitting its president to participate in “public partisan political activity.”

Humphries said, “I really am disappointed as a citizen” that B.J. Alan has left the chamber over his support of Kasich. “I could have sworn I woke up this morning in the United States and was allowed to support whoever I wanted.”

For the complete story, read Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com