Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. (LVEDC) hosted state and federal elected officials on June 9 for a conversation about economic trends and a discussion of the key issues and strategies related to economic development in the Lehigh Valley.
“Elected officials are important members of the coalition for regional economic development. LVEDC is fortunate to have strong bipartisan support from our legislators for the work we do to market the Lehigh Valley’s many economic assets,” said Don Cunningham, LVEDC President and CEO.
The recent discussion continued LVEDC’s ongoing communication and collaboration with members of the Lehigh Valley’s legislative delegation on economic development issues. Fifteen legislators or staff members of legislators who represent the region in Washington or Harrisburg attended the event at the newly renovated Wilbur Mansion in Bethlehem. 
Legislators attending included U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, who credited LVEDC for the work its does executing regional strategies for economic growth, as well as state Sen. Nick Miller and state Reps. Ann Flood, Robert Freeman, Milou Mackenzie, Ryan Mackenzie, Jeanne McNeill, Steve Samuelson, and Mike Schlossberg.
Also in attendance were representatives for U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, state Sens. Lisa Boscola and Jarrett Coleman, and state Reps. Zachery Mako, Pete Schweyer, and Josh Siegel.
“The work that LVEDC does is invaluable in bringing businesses and jobs to the Lehigh Valley and growing our regional economy,” Rep. McNeill said. “Local legislators appreciate events like this, so we are brought up to speed on the outstanding work that LVEDC has done during the past year.”
“The LVEDC Legislative Luncheon was a really great opportunity to see in detail the economic temperature of the Lehigh Valley,” Rep. Flood said. “It gives a better snapshot of the growth of our businesses and the job environment for our residents. It is always informative and always valuable to get that real-time data, which helps guide our initiatives in Harrisburg.”
Cunningham detailed the Lehigh Valley’s continuing growth in economic output, jobs, and population, and how that growth has advanced opportunity and prosperity.
The Lehigh Valley’s $47 billion economy is balanced and diversified, led by the manufacturing sector, which produced $8.4 billion in economic output, he noted.
The population is approaching 700,000, with growth driven by people moving to the Lehigh Valley from other places in the U.S. and from overseas. Lehigh County is among the top 4% of counties nationally for international migration, while Northampton County is among the top 4% nationally for domestic migration.
Employers look for growing regions when they are deciding where to start or expand a business, Cunningham said. Investment by employers across a wide range of industry sectors has resulted in an increase in jobs to nearly 335,000, a nearly 25% growth in median wages for workers over the past five years to around $22 per hour, and a 15% increase in median household income over the past five years to more than $69,000 per year.
“The Lehigh Valley has created an economy that many regions would wish to have,” Cunningham told the legislators.
Among the growing sectors of the economy that he highlighted are life sciences and technology.
Life sciences research and manufacturing is one of the strategic sectors LVEDC targets for business recruitment based on the region’s advantages in talent, infrastructure, and location within a one-day drive of one-third of the U.S. population. The Lehigh Valley is home to 170 life sciences facilities, from laboratories and research centers to manufacturing and distribution, which employ more than 6,500 people. Recent manufacturing expansions by B. Braun and OraSure Technologies are examples of the growth in this key sector.
Advanced manufacturing in the technology sector, including semiconductors and other electronics components, has been growing as well, Cunningham said, and could get a boost from the federal CHIPS and Science Act, which will provide $280 billion over the next 10 years to increase semiconductor capacity, expand research and development, and create regional technology hubs. LVEDC is participating in a regional consortium that is pursuing a technology hub designation for the Lehigh Valley.
LVEDC also discussed with legislators its nationally recognized and award-winning talent supply initiative. Attracting and retaining a workforce with the skills that employers need is the number one issue in economic development.
The Lehigh Valley has been fortunate that its legislators in Harrisburg recognize the importance of talent supply and have obtained grant funding that enables a regional partnership of employers, educators, and community leaders led by LVEDC to pursue a wide range of talent strategies.
LVEDC demonstrated for legislators the newest tool from the regional talent-supply partnership: an interactive, online dashboard that enables students to explore options for in-demand careers in the Lehigh Valley based on LVEDC’s analysis of local job-posting data.
Continued state support for Lehigh Valley talent initiatives is a key legislative priority that LVEDC discussed with legislators and their representatives.