Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) has been named one of the world’s top economic development organizations, following a year in which the region landed its largest investment ever and ranked as the nation’s No. 1 mid-sized market for new investments. 

The Bronze Award for Economic Development Organization of the Year was one of three honors that LVEDC earned from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).

LVEDC won Gold Awards for its 2025 Annual Report and 2025 Fall Signature Event, “Lehigh Valley: Making Products & Making Places.”

In bestowing the Economic Development Organization of the Year recognition, judges cited LVEDC’s “strong commitment to community engagement” including its social media and weekly e-newsletter that is sent to nearly 6,000 subscribers, along with a record investment of $955,000 by public and private partners last year.

Judges also cited LVEDC’s role in leading a team of partners who collaborated to attract the largest single investment in Lehigh Valley history, a $3.5 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing campus by Eli Lilly and Company that is scheduled to break ground soon.

Lilly had initially passed over Lehigh Valley as a location for a facility but took a second look at the region for its next expansion and decided it was the best location out of more than 300 that were considered.

“I appreciate they were able to secure a second opportunity to show their state was a good choice for a large pharma industry player,” one judge remarked.

Earlier this year, Lehigh Valley was named the top mid-sized market for economic development by Site Selection magazine, whose annual rankings are the benchmark assessment of economic development and growth by the corporate real estate, site selection, and economic development profession.

The International Economic Development Council is the largest economic development association in the world, with more than 4,500 members globally. LVEDC is one of only 97 organizations to meet the council’s rigorous accreditation standards.

Each year, IEDC recognizes organizations that demonstrate consistent, exemplary performance in the economic development profession through projects that have a significant impact on revitalizing communities and improving the practice of economic development.

LVEDC competed against the largest economic development organizations in the world (those in regions of at least 500,000 people), many of which have bigger budgets and more staff.

IEDC will celebrate the 2026 Excellence Awards winners at its upcoming Annual Conference in New Orleans on Oct. 25-28.

In 2024, LVEDC won a Silver Award for Economic Development Organization of the Year.