Who We Are

District Export Councils (DEC) are organizations of business leaders from local communities, appointed by various U.S. Secretaries of Commerce, whose knowledge of and expertise in international business provides a source of professional advice for their region’s local firms. Closely affiliated with the U.S. Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration U.S. Commercial Service, over 60 DECs that exist throughout the country support the U.S. Government’s export promotion efforts.

The Western Pennsylvania DEC (WPADEC) is made up of regional business leaders actively exporting a product or service or providing a service in the exporting process. They provide a regional network of trade expertise to help grow export markets for the companies in their 36-county coverage in Western and Central PA.

WPADEC members involve themselves in activities that promote U.S. exporting and lend their support to the export promotional efforts of the Pittsburgh U.S. Commercial Service office. The U.S. Commercial Service is a federal agency with a global network of offices, located in U.S. Embassies and Consulates, that are in place to help U.S. companies with their international business development efforts in increasing exports, support and increase U.S. jobs and level the global playing field for U.S. companies.

The mission of DECs are supported through activities such as:

  • Counseling and mentoring of local businesses in exporting; 
  • Creating greater export awareness in the business community locally;
  • Identifying issues affecting export trade and implementation of suggestions for improvement;
  • Advocating trade policy and legislation supporting exporters and the U.S. export sector;
  • Supporting programs and services of the U.S. Commercial Service;
  • Building local export assistance partnerships with other trade related organizations;
  • Identifying export financing sources for businesses;
  • Providing export training and education through events, webinars, seminars, or roundtables.

The WPADEC serves the Pennsylvania counties of: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Clarion, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Perry, Potter, Snyder, Somerset, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, and Westmoreland

Mid-Atlantic District Export Council

Looking for the District Export Council (DEC) serving Eastern Pennsylvania? That would be the Mid-Atlantic DEC, they cover the Pennsylvania counties of:  Adams, Berks, Bradford, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northhampton, Northumberland, Philadelphia, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne & Wyoming, York

National Association of District Export Councils (NADEC) 

The National Association of District Export Councils (NADEC) increases awareness and understanding of the importance of exports to the U.S. economy through education, legislative outreach and engagement with the 60+ District Export Councils (DEC) across the U.S. and other relevant stakeholders.