MAHONING COUNTY | Candidates

A look at the candidates for the contested race for Mahoning County commissioner and county recorder. An * denotes the incumbent:

COMMISSIONER

Candidate: David C. Ditzler (D)

Residence: Austintown.

Age: 54.

Family: Wife, Jenny.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in industrial marketing from Youngstown State University.

Present employment: Global manager of sales of plated products, American Nickeloid Corp. since 2006.

Past employment: 1983-2005, Thomas Steel Strip Corp., production scheduler, general foreman and sales manager.

Qualifications: 19 years as an Austintown trustee, 30 years of business experience.

Top priority: Economic growth and job creation.

Candidate: David V. Rossi (R)

Residence: Boardman.

Age: 54.

Family: Wife, Marilyn; daughter, Erin Michelle Rossi.

Education: University of Houston Criminal Justice Center, Law Enforcement Academy.

Past employment: Harris County deputy sheriff, Houston, Texas, 1983-2011.

Qualifications: Law-enforcement career.

Top priority: Crime reduction.

Candidate: Howard Markert (Green)

Residence: Youngstown.

Age: 46.

Present employment: Semi-retired, self-employed landlord.

Past employment: Sales and management positions with ACS Inc., Qwest Communications, USWest, Ron Tonkin Dodge, Century Stereo and Circuit City.

Qualifications: Sales and management experience and community organization activities.

Top priority: Creation of a county central bank.

RECORDER

Candidate: Noralynn Palermo (D)*

Residence: Youngstown.

Age: 59.

Family: Husband, Joseph; sons, Marc and Carey.

Education: Ursuline High School.

Occupation: Incumbent county recorder.

Qualifications: 37 years with the recorder’s office.

Top priority: To run an efficient office within budget and put taxpayers first.

Candidate: Jim Villani (Green)

Residence: Boardman.

Age: 63.

Family: Brothers, Rick, Robert, Tom and Jerry.

Education: Bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Youngstown State University.

Occupation: Owner and operator of Pig Iron Press, Youngstown.

Qualifications: Businessman, writer and teacher.

Top priority: Protecting citizens’ privacy rights regarding public records.