A record crowd of more than 800 celebrated Lehigh Valley’s economic success and the 30th Anniversary of Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation at LVEDC’s Annual Meeting on March 18. 
Leaders from business, education, government, labor, community organizations, and more gathered at SteelStacks at ArtsQuest in Bethlehem to hear how far the Lehigh Valley has come and how it is primed for more growth in the years ahead.
“Economic success requires a village, and we’ve got a great one,” said Don Cunningham, LVEDC’s President & CEO.
The Annual Meeting, which was livestreamed by WFMZ, explored how the Lehigh Valley is thriving because its quality of life is attracting people to work and live here. Four inspiring individuals who moved to the Valley in the past 30 years shared why they came here, and why they have stayed.
Rick Siger, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, said the region is “really on the rise” and “truly a shining star of Pennsylvania.”
“You can sort of feel it on the street when you're in the community, that the Lehigh Valley is doing well,” Siger said.
The Renaissance in Numbers
Lehigh Valley’s Gross Domestic Product is now nearly $56 billion. Manufacturing continues to lead the way, with about 750 manufacturers producing a collective output of $9 billion. That’s 16% of the region’s GDP. Nationally, manufacturing makes up 12% of GDP.
“We make everything from medical devices to semiconductors, to steel pipe valves and airplane parts, to beer and cranberry juice, to Mack Trucks and crayons – and a lot in between,” Cunningham said.
That manufacturing legacy was showcased at LVEDC’s Annual Meeting with a special “Made in Lehigh Valley” exhibit hall where 18 companies displayed products and ideas that have helped pave the way for Lehigh Valley’s economic success.
Participating companies were: A-Treat/Jaindl Land Development, B. Braun Medical, Broadcom, Crayola, Evonik, Freshpet, Hardball Cider, HindlePower, Intel, Just Born, Lutron, Mack Trucks, Mussel Polymers, Niagara Waters, Olympus, OraSure Technologies, PPL Electric Utilities, and Soltech Solutions. 
In 2024, Lehigh Valley was ranked the No. 3 mid-sized market in the U.S. for the number of new economic development projects. In regional rankings, Lehigh Valley was No. 5 in the Northeast, among communities of all sizes, beating out many larger communities.
“There are many statistics I can cite,” Cunningham said. “But the ones that matter are about people. I believe that’s why this organization was created, why people invest in it. I believe it’s what motivates all of us involved in LVEDC, all of us in this room.”
Lehigh Valley has the largest labor force in its history, about 364,000 people. The average hourly wage is nearly $29, and median household income is $81,709, higher than the U.S. and Pennsylvania. Unemployment is low and poverty is decreasing.
Challenges of the Past and Looking to the Future
“It wasn’t always like this,” Cunningham said. “Many of you have heard me speak before of those days in the ‘90s and early 2000s when business closures dominated the headlines and we fought ‘brain drain,’ losing our young people to places with more opportunity.”
In 1995, when LVEDC was formed, Lehigh Valley was facing shifting economic times, like the rest of America. The future required moving away from reliance on a few titans of industry, such as Bethlehem Steel, and attracting a diversity of employers of all sizes. The region also had to begin acting regionally, marketing itself as one community.
During his remarks, Cunningham showed a photo of his father working on the hot metal pouring floor in the Ingot Mould Foundry at Bethlehem Steel.
“His work was much different than mine,” Cunningham said.
LVEDC was created to rebuild, revitalize, and reposition the Lehigh Valley's economy, while providing opportunities for those living here. Its mission also was to market the Lehigh Valley regionally.
Today, Lehigh Valley is attracting newcomers and is a leader in population growth of young adults. “Brain Drain” has become “Brain Gain.” Cunningham said the region now is able to be more selective in the types of new businesses it seeks, targeting life science, biotech, medical device, software and hardware technology, semiconductors and pharmaceutical companies, and advanced manufacturing.
Jay Garner, a site selection consultant who is President and Founder of Garner Economics in Atlanta and has done extensive work in the Lehigh Valley, said the region has come a long way.
“You haven't relied on others to shape your destiny. You've stepped up. You've made a difference,” he said.
Garner said Lehigh Valley’s population growth of about 6.5% since 2013 – a higher rate than the state and U.S. – is a key indicator of the region’s strength and puts Lehigh Valley in a class with fast-growing regions in the South and West. 
“This is huge,” he said.
Looking ahead, Garner suggested priorities should include increasing the availability of housing that is affordable for the workforce; expanding childcare resources; growing the already strong entrepreneurial support network; and recruiting more international businesses.
Cunningham said the goal is to continue to expand the economy while preserving the Lehigh Valley’s cherished quality of life.
“The story of this region is the story of its people, its companies, its schools, institutions, and neighborhoods,” he said. “The old has been infused with the new and we’ve become better. We’ve always welcomed new people, new companies, new ideas. We know how to reinvent and reimagine. That’s why we don’t stay down too long, and our future is always brighter than our past.”
“Making Lehigh Valley Home”
To continue to grow, Lehigh Valley must continue to attract the talent that employers need. Lehigh Valley’s quality of life, and the personal and professional opportunities that it offers, is driving talent attraction and retention.
LVEDC’s Annual Meeting explored that link during a panel discussion with four people who moved to the Lehigh Valley in the past three decades.
The discussion was moderated by Kassie Hilgert, President and CEO of ArtsQuest and a new member of LVEDC’s Board of Directors.
Shahnaz Hanna, Co-owner of Union and Finch restaurant in Allentown, shared how she met her husband, a Lehigh Valley native, while living in New York City. Seeking a place to raise their family, they relocated here and started a business, quickly finding a strong and diverse community where small businesses can thrive.
“There's huge support from the community that you get for small businesses,” she said. “We’re very fortunate to be in Allentown.”
Paul Hodges, CEO and Co-founder of Soltech Solutions in Bethlehem, said he and his business partners were looking for a location with a strong entrepreneurial system to start their business, which develops state-of-the-art LED grow lights to make it easy to grow plants indoors in all settings.
He found Bethlehem on a CNN list of best places to do business, and they checked it out.
“There's so many different avenues, just a huge network of support. I was surprised when I came here, just the amount of referrals I kept getting. And I learned so fast just by being introduced to more and more people, more and more resources,” he said.
Orville Trout, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Crayola, told how he wasn’t very familiar with the Lehigh Valley until he was offered a job here. Then he and his family fell in love with the area, especially the arts scene and its proximity to places like New York City and Philadelphia.
“Having the opportunity to get to another city in an hour and a half or an hour, as well as getting to the ocean, that was just delightful,” Trout said.
Karianne Gelinas, Vice President of Regional Partnerships & Talent Strategies at LVEDC, explained how she grew up in the Lehigh Valley, left to attend college and then teach in the West, and returned to raise her family.
“We have a great family friendly environment here, which is why I think so many folks come or move back,” she said.
There are a variety of living options, from rural to urban, Gelinas said, along with great restaurants and plenty of festivals and other entertainment options.
Partnering with Pennsylvania
Siger outlined how Pennsylvania, under Gov. Josh Shapiro, is developing new strategies and funding streams to help the Lehigh Valley and the rest of the state be more competitive at attracting new employers and jobs, particularly in key industries.
“The Lehigh Valley is an exceptionally powerful part of Pennsylvania's economy. We are working really hard every day to be the most effective partner possible. We believe we're making real progress,” Siger said.
The state’s economic development strategy – its first in nearly 20 years – is investing $500 million to make sites shovel ready for development. A site in Allentown is among those to receive funding.
Processing times for permits and other regulatory approvals have improved.
Shapiro’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2025-26, which requires approval by the state Legislature, would allocate $65 million more for innovation, including $30 million for life sciences through coordination with research universities to help companies bring new technologies to market.
“We know we've got to be better at commercializing that research, bringing it out of our universities and research labs to create jobs,” Siger said. 
The budget requests the creation of a new, more flexible $10 million AdvancePA tax credit, by reallocating funding from three previous tax credit programs. Workforce development is also prioritized in the proposed budget, including $2 million to create a Career Connect program to build internships.
State officials are working on a plan to increase housing options, to help the workforce grow, Siger said.
“We feel like we have a playbook,” he said. “We have energy. We have momentum. And under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, we're really determined to make Pennsylvania a leader, not just here in the Lehigh Valley, but in all of Pennsylvania, a leader in economic development.”
Investment in Economic Development
About 150 companies and organizations provided about $913,000 in investment and sponsorships to LVEDC in 2024, a record amount. Those supporters were recognized at the Annual Meeting for their participation in the regional coalition on economic development.
“We could not market the Lehigh Valley's assets, develop programs like those in talent supply, or recruit companies in targeted economic sectors without these combined resources,” said Jaime Whalen, LVEDC’s Executive Vice President & Chief of Staff.
About 15 of those investors have been providing financial support since LVEDC’s founding in 1995.
“For 30 years, they've been supporting LVEDC. Thank you for your unwavering support. We've been able to build award-winning programs and have been ranked as a top economic development organization in the United States because of the muscle and the money that stands behind us. You all matter, and every dollar counts,” Whalen said.
She thanked new investors and those who increased their investment, with special recognition to Lehigh and Northampton counties, the two largest investors in LVEDC.
“Their commitment to regional economic development is a testament to leadership in both counties and their vision for a stronger, more connected Lehigh Valley,” Whalen said.
She thanked the region’s state legislators for allocating state funding for specific programming.
“Without your financial support over the last decade, we would not have such a robust talent supply initiative, which has been held up as a model in the state and across the nation,” Whalen said.
LVEDC Board
At the Annual Meeting, LVEDC introduced new members who were added to its Board of Directors, and recognized several outgoing members, including Board Chair Ed Dougherty, who recently retired as Senior Vice President and Chief Business Development Officer at Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health.
“I'm fortunate to have found this special place, the Lehigh Valley, and I'm grateful that it's now my family's home,” Dougherty said as he was presented a rocking chair for his service. “I'm honored and grateful for being entrusted with the opportunity to help LVEDC deliver on its important mission in our region.”
LVEDC’s new Board Chair is Stephen Hoff, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Crayola.
“Just a few years ago, we celebrated our 120th Anniversary. Some might say we were in the Lehigh Valley a little bit before the Lehigh Valley was so cool. And we remain proud to be based here and to manufacture our products here,” Hoff said. 
Six members who are leaving LVEDC’s Board of Directors were recognized at the Annual Meeting, along with three members who were re-elected to another term and six new members who joined the Board.
The outgoing members, in addition to Dougherty, are:
- Tina Richardson, Chancellor, Penn State Lehigh Valley
- Chris Brown, Senior Vice President and Director SBA Lending, Fulton Bank
- Michael Landsburg, Chief Development Officer, Real Estate, NFI Industries
- Michele McGrath, Director Global Engineering (Retired), Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
- Drew Lewis, Business Executive and Entrepreneur, formerly with ADP
Re-elected members are:
- Gunnar Brunius, Vice President and General Manager, Mack Trucks, Lehigh Valley Operations
- Christine Martin, President, PPL Electric Utilities
- Shelly McWilliams, President, Lehigh Valley Plastics
New members elected to the board are:
- Rob Albert, Chief Executive Officer, Braun of America, Inc.
- Arthur Dorn, Lehigh Valley Market President, Truist Bank
- Robert Begliomini, Senior Vice President - Lehigh Valley Health Network and Regional President - Jefferson Health, Lehigh West
- Kassie Hilgert, President and CEO, ArtsQuest
- Benjamin Hussa - Vice President, Taxes and Corporate Treasurer, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
- Nathan Urban – Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Lehigh University
Lehigh Valley Marketing Videos
In her welcome remarks, Kristin Cahayla-Hoffman, LVEDC Vice President of Business Development & Attraction, explained that the meeting would feature several Lehigh Valley marketing videos produced by local talent. The videos are used in LVEDC’s business, talent attraction, and branding campaigns. 
She urged business, organizations, and other partners to use a common Lehigh Valley logo to spread awareness of all the great advantages the Lehigh Valley offers.
LVEDC and Lehigh Valley: A 30-Year Economic Renaissance.
Marking a milestone anniversary, the video commemorates the Lehigh Valley’s economic wins over the last three decades.
So Many Peaks
As part of a new business attraction campaign, the video explores the economic assets of the Lehigh Valley.
Use the Logo
Learn how you can use the Lehigh Valley logo to promote your brand and elevate the region.
Why Branding Matters
The video explores why a greater awareness of the Lehigh Valley helps everyone who is already here.
OraSure Finds Talent in the Lehigh Valley
Amy Steigerwalt, Senior Vice President, Human Resource of OraSure, talks about innovative, self-starting, and problem-solving talent in the Lehigh Valley.
Olympus Finds Talent in the Lehigh Valley
Richard Reynolds, President, Medical Systems Group of Olympus, talks about why the Lehigh Valley is a great place to recruit and retain talent.
Evonik Finds Talent in the Lehigh Valley
Robert Cuscino, Senior Vice President, Regional Development at Evonik speaks about the STEM talent in this key hub location in Lehigh Valley.
Have it All in Lehigh Valley
Room to grow. Space to play. Meaningful work to do. A place to belong. Have it all in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania.
Sponsors
The Presenting Sponsor of the Annual Meeting was Capital Blue Cross, and Vicki Doulé, Lehigh Valley Executive & Vice President, Distribution Channels and an LVEDC Board Member, provided remarks. 
The 30th Anniversary sponsor was Crayola, which produced Made in Lehigh Valley branded crayons that were given to those in attendance.
Other sponsors of the 2025 Annual Meeting were Cocktail Sponsors: Boyle Construction and Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba.
Gold Sponsors: First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union; Freshpet; Fulton Bank; Lehigh University; Norris McLaughlin; WFMZ; and Workforce Board Lehigh Valley.
Silver Sponsors: B. Braun; Klunk & Millan Advertising; Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health; MKSD architects; Olympus; Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development; Promus Financial; St. Luke's University Health Network.
Community Sponsors: American Bank, Barry Isett & Associates; Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania; CLA; EARTHRES, a division of RESPEC; HNL Lab Medicine; J.G. Petrucci Co., Inc.; Lehigh Carbon Community College for Innovation and Learning; OraSure Technologies, Inc.; and Penn Community Bank.