The Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire has taken steps that it says will increase businesses' participation in the state's political process by launching the New Hampshire Business Political Action Committee.

Concord: The Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire has taken steps that it says will increase businesses' participation in the state's political process by launching the New Hampshire Business Political Action Committee. While the BIA said the new PAC will offer financial support to pro-business state incumbents and candidates, it will not contribute to federal election campaigns, according to a statement released by the organization.

The PAC's board of directors is headed by Richard Ashooh, vice president of strategic relations and homeland security for BAE Systems. Other board members are: Harold Turner Jr., vice president of the HL Turner Group; Jim Roche, president of the BIA; Scott Ellison of the Devine Millimet law firm; Terri Bayer of Terri C. Beyer Associates; Fergus Cullen of CertaPro Painters; Richard Jenkinson, Fisher Scientific International; and Mike McInerney, Waste Management of Northern New England.