Economic Development

Business & Industry

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Who's doing business Here?

Centre County is home to numerous cutting-edge, dynamic companies representing a variety of industry sectors.

Industry leaders include high tech and advanced manufacturing, life sciences, construction, agriculture, and transportation. Education, health care, hospitality, and retail are among the major employers.

Among the diverse business base in Centre County are technology companies that are driving industry advances and driving innovation on a global scale. Home-grown technology companies are creating breakthroughs in the medical device industry that are dramatically improving patient care with products and services that reduce the cost and time associated with the drug-discovery process. Local companies are revolutionizing modern manufacturing.

Companies here are developing transit solutions for nationwide customers.They are leaders in the development of media technology and in chromatography.The directory below contains a summary of who’s here – dynamic companies that count as their clients some of the most recognizable corporate names in the nation and world.

Centre County’s world-class companies are impacting global initiatives – from NASA technology to vaccines to sensors in automobile factories.

Private equity is investing in pharmaceuticals, video production, sensors, manufacturing, electronics, and other industries.

Among the diverse business base in Centre County are technology companies that are driving industry advances and driving innovation on a global scale.

Home-grown technology companies are creating breakthroughs in the medical device industry that are dramatically improving patient care. their products and services are reducing the cost and time associated with the drug discovery process.

Local companies are revolutionizing modern manufacturing. Companies here are developing transit solutions for nationwide customers. They are leaders in the development of media technology and in chromatography. These dynamic companies count among their clients some of the most recognizable corporate names in the nation, if not the world.

Centre County is proud to be the home of two Certified Benefit Corporations – West Arete, a home-grown custom software development company, and AE Works, a Pittsburgh-based architectural engineering firm. Centre County also boasts the nation’s first Gold LEED certified distillery, Big Spring Spirits.

These companies are just a few standouts in a local business community committed to local sourcing, social and environmental responsibility, and related best practices – from 1% For the Planet to being a certified Bicycle Friendly Business.

Three core components of the Chamber’s smart-growth economic-development strategy:

1

Supporting business

Supporting and expanding existing businesses and attracting new businesses contributes to economic development in key ways – including helping businesses create jobs, encouraging entrepreneurship,  expanding and diversifying the tax base, and improving quality of life with new services and amenities.

2

supporting workers

Centre County is home to an educated, skilled workforce that continues to grow. More than 92.7 percent of adults have at least a high-school education, and 40 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Centre County is an importer of labor, drawing the bulk of its workforce from six surrounding counties.

3

supporting quality of life

Centre County is famous for livability that coexists with top-ranking research and innovation as the home of Penn State. It’s consistently at the top of nationwide rankings as one of the best places to live based on health care, outdoor recreation, cultural amenities, wages, safe neighborhoods, and easy commutes.

"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success."

Henry Ford

Economic Development

Chamber initiatives

Through collaborative initiatives such as SuccessWithHonor, HappyValleyAgventures and DRIVEForward, the Chamber is addressing issues critical to business growth and competitiveness, including workforce preparedness, agritourism, NIL initiatives with Penn State student athletes, and transportation infrastructure.

360 Solutions

Better together: Explore how The Chamber can help you do business

Expand personal and professional relationships, gain career-enhancing knowledge and develop your business with others who share common goals.

Invest in Centre County

Gain a seat at the table and directly influence the community you call home by sharing resources and expertise. And you'll play an essential role in smart economic development, government advocacy and improving lives in our region by collaborating with other business and community leaders. When business expands and the workforce grows, we all win.

lead in the community

If you're a business owner in Centre County or the region, you should be a part of the Chamber. You can establish a presence in the business community through our sponsorship, marketing and advertising opportunities. And getting to know other business owners, learning from them, and bouncing ideas off companies that have been in your position can yield many positive results.

grow your business

At the Chamber, we know what it takes for businesses to succeed: they need access to a variety of resources — from capital to training programs — and those resources need to be available at the right time. We identify your needs, help you to build an engaged network and deliver meaningful solutions via valuable programs and services.

Make Connections

Participate in professional-development opportunities, business education, committees, and advocacy groups. Stay up-to-date on top economic and member news. Our online business directory is visited hundreds of times a day, and we happily connect our members to individuals looking for a business to serve their needs.