About

The World Trade Center of Central PA was started nearly 20 years ago by area business leaders involved in global trade who wanted to create a forum for information and resource sharing and to educate other businesses about global opportunities. By 1997 the organization had grown from a local volunteer organization to a regional network called SPIN, or Southcentral Pennsylvania International Network. Five years later, as a result of a strategic planning process and with support from community leaders throughout the region, an application for a World Trade Center license was submitted and subsequently approved. In 2002, the organization invested in the initial down-payment for a World Trade Center license and changed its name to World Trade Center of Central Pennsylvania.

1991	Inaugural York County International Network Meeting. All-volunteer organization starts offering education programs
1992	Part time events coordinator hired to support the fledgling membership organization
1993	Columbus Initiative launched to introduce new-to-export companies to foreign markets with support from organization members
1994	First Golf Extravaganza
1996	York County International Network becomes an independent affiliate of MANTEC, Inc., hires first full time director and expands coverage, changes name to Southcentral Pennsylvania International Network (SPIN)
1997	SPIN incorporates as a 501 (c) (6) non-profit membership organization. Board of Directors and Advisory Council named. SPIN and US Department of Commerce host first regional World Trade Week Celebration
1998	1998 - SPIN named as Regional Coordinator for the Team Pennsylvania Export Network~Southcentral Region, becomes regional point of contact for all State sponsored export assistance services
1999	1999 - SPIN receives Governor's Export Excellence Award
2000	2000 - SPIN organizes the "Pennsylvania" exhibit at DRUPA, the world's largest trade show for print media, held in Germany every 4 years
	SPIN organizes "International E-Commerce" Conference starting off the first of what is to become an annual international trade conference
2001	2001 - SPIN celebrates 10th Anniversary, birthday bash features Terri Morrison, author of "Kiss, Bow and Shake Hands" as keynote speaker
	Organizes "Pennsylvania" exhibit at the K fair, a global trade show for the plastics and rubber industry
2002	Successfully pursues World Trade Centers Association application
	Changes name to World Trade Center of Central Pennsylvania with unveiling during a luncheon "Peace and Stability Through Trade", featuring Guy Tozzoli, founder of the World Trade Centers Association
2003	Hosts Hospitality Suite for international visitors to the Pennsylvania Farm Show
2004	Launches annual Global Economic Outlook luncheon
2005	Publisher of Forbes, Rich Karlgaard, is featured speaker at annual "Reaching Your Global Customers" conference
	First offering of "Export Controls" seminar with the Bureau of Industry and Security in southcentral Pennsylvania
2006	Over 20 foreign embassies represented at WTC annual conference in Lancaster
2008	WTC becomes active on social media sites with myspace, linkedin, twitter, and facebook pages
	"Local Companies, Global Connections" supplement to Central Penn Business Journal published and distributed worldwide
2009	Newly updated and vastly expanded website launched
	Organizes "Pennsylvania" exhibit at ANUGA, world's largest trade show for the food and beverage industry
	Seminars promoting southcentral Pennsylvania as a business location offered in Cologne, Germany during the ANUGA trade show
	Promotes southcentral Pennsylvania to a global audience at the PackExpo show in Las Vegas
2010	Hosted Kenyan Ambassador to the US for roundtable discussion
	Attended the WTCA member seminar and met WTC colleagues from around the world
	Offered a record number of programs in one year
2011	Celebrate our 20th year as an organization