Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation’s 2024 Annual Meeting drew a record crowd March 19 to hear about the Lehigh Valley’s continued economic growth, the strategies behind that growth, and the policy issues facing a region ranked as the No. 1 mid-sized market for economic development.
About 750 representatives from business, education, government, and community organizations filled SteelStacks at ArtsQuest in Bethlehem for the packed 90-minute program, which was presented by Highmark Blue Shield, and livestreamed by WFMZ. 
Seventeen people took the stage to share economic development strategies and data; perspectives on future growth and development; career preparation and talent development advice; and the goals of the Lehigh Valley’s new branding initiative.
The LVEDC Annual Meeting celebrated the Lehigh Valley’s recently announced ranking as the No. 1 mid-sized market for economic development in 2023, according to Site Selection magazine. The region’s 50 qualifying projects, based on size, investment, and job creation, were the most of any region in the U.S. with a population of between 200,000 and 1 million people.
“Results like this don't happen by accident. They require a clear strategy, effective leadership, and a strong coalition. The Lehigh Valley has all that and more,” said Ed Dougherty, Chair of the Board of Directors at LVEDC and Senior Vice President & Chief Business Development Officer at Lehigh Valley Health Network.
Creating Opportunity
The Lehigh Valley has a diverse, $50 billion economy that generates more output than two states. Driven by manufacturing, which represents 16% of that Gross Domestic Product, the growth is making a difference for the people who live here, said Don Cunningham, President & CEO of LVEDC.
“Economic development, that big fancy term, is really just something to create opportunity for people of all skills, all education levels, and all walks of life, regardless of race or gender or station of life,” Cunningham said. “It's to create opportunity, so young people can stay here to carve out their piece of the American dream like their parents and grandparents did before them.”
“The statistics I hope that you remember today are about people, not projects. Those about our growing population of young people, growing wages, median income, and the reduction of poverty.”
Balancing ‘Quality of Life, Open Space, and Economic Opportunity’
With growth, though, comes challenges. LVEDC recognizes it is important to acknowledge and address those challenges. So, it brought together a distinguished panel of veterans in development and planning to discuss the issues and suggest solutions.
“The region needs to balance the equally important elements of quality of life, open space, and economic opportunity. Conversely, we need to guard against rushed and reactionary change where in addressing one issue, we create an adverse effect on critical parts of the economic ecosystem. The wisdom of decisions made today will determine the opportunity that exists tomorrow and for the next generation,” Cunningham said.
He moderated a panel discussion, “The Next Chapter: Trends & Changes” that included Adrian Ponsen, National Director for Industrial Market Analytics at CoStar Group; Jim Petrucci, President at development company J.G. Petrucci Co., Inc.; Susan Lawless, Chair of the Board of Supervisors in Hanover Township, Northampton County; and Becky Bradley, Executive Director at the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission.
They discussed the availability of buildings for manufacturing, public opposition to land development, population growth, access to affordable housing and rent, and the changing nature of the office and retail sectors.
Talent for a 21 Century Economy
The “Talent for a 21st Century Economy” panel was moderated by Jack P. Silva, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools of the Bethlehem Area School District and included Max Sarko, a junior at DeSales University studying Data Science and Data Analytics; Julia Ruhf, a senior at Freedom High School who will be pursuing a degree in physical therapy; Brauly Castillo, one of the first apprentices in the innovative Industrial Training and Education Consortium of the Lehigh Valley who works at B. Braun Medical; and Tommy Parisi, a junior at Lehigh University who is an intern at Intel®.
They discussed how they chose their career paths and the opportunities for career exploration that are available in the Lehigh Valley.
“I'm very passionate with my work and what comes out of it,” Castillo said. “I know that I'm not just wrenching or doing something; I'm making product for people that is lifesaving.”
Pennsylvania and Lehigh Valley Strategies Guiding Growth
Featured speakers at the Annual Meeting, Pennsylvania Chief Transformation Officer Ben Kirshner and Lehigh Valley Partnership President Nacho Abia of Olympus Corp., shared insights into new innovative strategies designed to improve the business climate and create opportunities.
Kirshner, the first person to lead Gov. Josh Shapiro’s newly created Office of Transformation & Opportunity, said Pennsylvania is working hard to improve its reputation as business friendly and to become more competitive in economic development.
“We set up our office with a goal to make Pennsylvania a Top 10 state to do business in,” Kirshner said, adding that Pennsylvania currently ranks 17th on the CNBC ranking.
He said Shapiro’s administration has substantially cut wait times for various permits and has hired more staff to ensure applications are processed swiftly. And Shapiro is proposing significant investments, including $500 million to make sites shovel-ready for development projects.
Kirshner touted Pennsylvania’s new long-range strategic plan for economic development, which was unveiled in January at OraSure Technologies in Bethlehem Township.
The plan centers around expanding the life sciences, robotics and technology, manufacturing, agriculture, and energy industries. They were selected because Pennsylvania already has a strong foundation in each of them, and they hold opportunities for growth and family-sustaining jobs. The core goals of the plan include getting sites shovel ready for development, moving at the "speed of business" for permit processing and other approvals, and investing in workforce training, entrepreneurs, and communities.
Abia said the Lehigh Valley Partnership, a consortium of the chief executives of leading Lehigh Valley employers, institutions, regional organizations, and large governments, is embarking on a new plan to improve quality of life in the Lehigh Valley.
He said the Partnership, created nearly 40 years ago, has accomplished the core of its mission of strengthening and building regional institutions, including LVEDC.
“A new plan is needed for the next generations,” said Abia, Executive Officer and Chief Strategy Officer at Olympus Corp. and CEO of Olympus Corporation of the Americas. “It’s the Partnership’s intent to support the work of others to continue the mission of improving the Lehigh Valley through a public-private partnership built on regionalism as the foundation and central principle of success.”
Lehigh Valley Branding
Another part of LVEDC’s Annual Meeting program highlighted the new Lehigh Valley regional branding initiative created last year by LVEDC and Discover Lehigh Valley®. 
Kassie Hilgert, President & CEO of ArtsQuest, and Bree Nidds, Chief Operating Officer of Discover Lehigh Valley®, encouraged businesses to use the new logos while promoting their products and services.
“The world's most iconic brands use logos,” Nidds said. “Our logo is our name. It's easy to read. It's meaningful. The angled letters hint at the physical features of the Lehigh Valley and images of a downtown cityscape. When stacked, the letters fit together, symbolizing our unity.
Nidds and Hilgert introduced video testimonials about the importance of regional branding from Ed Lozano, CEO at Weyerbacher Brewing Co./Savant Beverages; Kurt Landes, President and General Manager of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs; Kathy Harring, President at Muhlenberg College; and Drew Lewis, Vice President of Diversity and Talent at ADP.
Weyerbacher and County Seat Spirits of Allentown are among the first businesses to incorporate “Made in Lehigh Valley” logos on their products. They provided free samples of their products at the Annual Meeting, and all attendees received a T-shirt with the new “Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania” logo.
Videos
Sprinkled throughout the meeting were marketing videos that promote the region’s economy, quality of life and new initiatives. The public is encouraged to share the videos:
Lehigh Valley Branding
Why Lehigh Valley Branding Matters to Manufacturers and Small Businesses
Why Lehigh Valley Branding Matters for Visitor Attraction
Why Lehigh Valley Branding Matters for Talent Attraction
Why Lehigh Valley Branding Matters to Colleges and Universities
Lehigh Valley Tech Highlights
Manufacturing in Lehigh Valley, Pa.
Life Sciences in Lehigh Valley, Pa.
Made Possible in Lehigh Valley, Pa.
LVEDC 2024 Annual Meeting
Board Members
The Annual Meeting recognized outgoing LVEDC Board Member Julien Sauvagnargues, President at Olympus Corporation of the Americas, and welcomed new Board Members Vicki Doulé, Lehigh Valley Executive & Vice President, Distribution Channels at Capital Blue Cross; Lori Vargo Heffner, President of Northampton County Council; Drew Lewis, Vice President of Diversity and Talent at ADP; and Richard Reynolds, President, Medical Systems Group at Olympus Corp. Board members re-elected to a second term were Stephen Hoff, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Crayola and Ray Midlam, Network Vice President Business Development & Strategy at St. Luke’s University Health Network.
Special Recognition
LVEDC recognized Abia with a gift, as he is departing the Lehigh Valley Partnership and Olympus to become Chief Executive Officer of Grifols, a global healthcare company and leading manufacturer of plasma-derived medicines based in Barcelona.
Sponsors
Cocktail sponsors for LVEDC’s Annual Meeting were Boyle Construction and Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba.
Gold sponsors were B. Braun Medical, Crayola, First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union, Fulton Bank, J.G. Petrucci Co. Inc., Norris McLaughlin P.A., Workforce Board Lehigh Valley, and WFMZ.
Silver sponsors were Klunk & Millan Advertising, Lehigh University, Lehigh Valley Health Network, MKSD architects, and St. Luke’s University Health Network.
Community sponsors were American Bank, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP), EARTHRES, HNL Lab Medicine, OraSure Technologies, Inc., Penn Community Bank, Penn Strategies and Promus Financial.
The Annual Meeting was livestreamed by WFMZ and a recording can be viewed here.
Editor’s Note: Additional articles on LVEDC’s blog over the next several weeks will provide more information about each portion of LVEDC’s Annual Meeting.
(Photos by Marco Calderon Photography)