Established in 1849, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania is located between Pittsburgh, PA; Erie, PA; Cleveland, OH; and between New York, NY; and Chicago, IL, along the PA / OH border. Our county seat, New Castle, serves as the epicenter for a trade area of one million residents.
Lawrence County is home to approximately 90,000 residents and is a transportation mecca. Interstates 76, 79, and 376 cross the county, and Interstate 80 runs along the county’s northern border. New Castle, located in the County’s center, is 43 miles north of the Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) and 103 miles east by southeast of the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Two Class 1 and two Class 2 railroads provide service to our businesses.
In 2017, the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, the Lawrence County Chamber Foundation, and the Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation merged together to create the Lawrence County Regional Chamber of Commerce (LCRCC). The oldest entity of the three is the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce. Prior to the merger, the LCRCC was D/B/A the Greater New Castle Chamber of Commerce, founded around 1904. Today, while all three organizations are legally and financially separate, the Regional Chamber’s staff strives to work as a single entity focused on providing needed organized economic, community, and leadership development programs meant to create opportunities capable of transforming the lives of Lawrence County’s residents.
Mission Statement:
To transform lives by serving as a creative force that promotes excellence in leadership, coordination, and orderly business development activities.
Vision Statement:
To transform lives of Lawrence County’s citizens by: raising the standard of living throughout Lawrence County; facilitating the creation and retention of jobs that pay family sustaining wages; expanding the tax base of local governments so higher quality essential services may be provided; improving the performance of civic institutions and capacities through organized leadership development efforts; and creating a unified vision and actionable plan to build a stronger Lawrence County.
Critical Goals:
- Advance our economy – promote and enhance a vibrant, diverse, and sustainable economy and local quality of life, while positioning the county and surrounding region for long-term success
- Develop a single, actionable county-wide vision – promote and enhance efforts designed to create a streamlined vision for Lawrence County that reduces duplicative efforts
- Develop leaders and county-wide cooperation – promote and enhance the skill sets needed to communicate effectively and overcome common challenges