Resignation announced
ZELIENOPLE — Rodney Schaffer, the chairman of the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau’s board of directors, announced his resignation from the group last week, saying he wanted to devote his time to the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival.
“I’ve decided to spend my volunteer time focused on the Jeep festival,” Schaffer said. “The Jeep festival committee is working on becoming an independent group. There is a need for the Jeep organization to become more formalized.”
Schaffer had been on the tourism bureau’s board of directors for four years, according to a press release issued by Krol Media, the public relations agency that handles communications for the bureau.
Jack Cohen, president of the tourism bureau, was out of town and unavailable to comment on Schaffer’s resignation.
Leigh Baxter, officer manager for the tourism bureau, said officials with the bureau had no comment on Schaffer’s departure and referred all questions to representatives with Krol Media.
Schaffer’s biography and photograph were removed from the bureau’s Website within the past week.
Schaffer said there was no reason for his stepping down on July 21 other than turning his attention to the Jeep festival.
“It was time for me to do something different,” he said. “I’m changing focus.”
Describing this year’s Jeep festival as “wildly successful,” Schaffer said he will become a basic committee member of the festival when it becomes fully independent from the tourism bureau in the next few months.
The tourism bureau’s board of directors are scheduled to meet next on Aug. 20. According to the press release, Schaffer’s successor will be chosen at that meeting. Todd Wehr is the current vice chairman of the board of directors.
