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.