Lawrence Chamber Reports McCoy’s Departure as CEO

NEW CASTLE, Pa. – Effective Monday, Alex McCoy is no longer CEO of the Lawrence County Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The respective boards of directors for the chamber, as well as the affiliated Lawrence County Economic Development Corp. and Lawrence County Regional Chamber Foundation, made the announcement in an emailed statement Monday evening. The statement referred further questions for comment to Randy Silverman, the chamber’s president.

“The chamber board thanks Mr. McCoy for his service and wishes him the best in his future endeavors,” according to the statement, issued by Melanie DeVincentis, communications and investor experience specialist for the chamber.

McCoy joined the chamber in June 2017, following the merger of the chamber and county economic development corporation.

The chamber’s statement contained no information regarding whether McCoy’s departure was voluntary or his employment was terminated.

McCoy’s departure comes amid reporting in the New Castle News of Lawrence County Commissioner Morgan Boyd’s removal from the chamber, chamber foundation and economic development corporation boards following comments critical of the Forward Lawrence initiative – an effort to draft a countywide vision for the future.

In addition, the New Castle News shared a letter to John Cournan, chamber foundation president, from Mahoning, Neshannock, Shenango, Union and Wilmington townships expressing displeasure with the chamber and two affiliates over Boyd’s removal and the townships’ being excluded from chamber or economic development activities.

“The boards of the Lawrence County Regional Chamber of Commerce, Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation and Lawrence County Regional Chamber Foundation are in support of our Forward Lawrence initiative and the subsequent Elevate Lawrence plan,” the chamber statement continued. “The collective boards will be working with our local government, non-profit and business leaders to continue our progress and work together for the common good of our community including searching for and finding a new CEO.”

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.