Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) recently hosted state legislators and other state and federal officials to share data, trends, and highlights of Lehigh Valley’s economic growth – including how state economic development programs helped to land the region’s largest investment ever. 

The state has pledged up to $100 million in grants and tax credits to Eli Lilly and Company’s $3.5 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing campus planned in Upper Macungie Township. The largest life sciences project in Pennsylvania, Lilly will create 850 jobs and 2,000 construction jobs and have a projected $14 billion impact on the regional economy.

“Lehigh Valley is winning generational investments because of programs that the state Legislature and other policymakers have put in place,” said Jaime Whalen, LVEDC Executive Vice President & Chief of Staff.

The Lilly project will proceed through the PA Permit Fast Track program, established by the Office of Transformation and Opportunity to streamline coordination among state agencies and accelerate approvals for significant projects.

The state support includes $50 million in PA EDGE tax credits, the first time that program has been tapped since it was approved in 2022 to recruit life sciences and technology production to Pennsylvania. The support also includes $25 million from PA SITES, a program created a few years ago to make properties shovel ready for development by funding utility and other infrastructure needs.

“Thank you for supporting all the economic development programs in the state,” Whalen told the lawmakers and other leaders at LVEDC’s luncheon. “You can see it’s making a difference here.”

She especially thanked the legislators, particularly Rep. Jeanne McNeill and Rep. Milou Mackenzie, for their bipartisan support to provide funding for LVEDC’s talent strategies. She asked for that support to continue. The funding helps drive programs that create a pipeline of talent for Lehigh Valley employers.

Attending the May 14 event at Melt in Center Valley in addition to McNeill and Mackenzie were State Representatives Ann Flood, Bob Freeman, and Steve Samuelson.

Also attending were Connor Corpora from Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office; Fadia Halma, Lehigh Valley Regional Director for the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development; and officials from the offices of U.S. Senators John Fetterman and Dave McCormick; U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie; State Senators Lisa Boscola, Jarrett Coleman, and Nick Miller; and State Representative Gary Day.

LVEDC hosts the annual legislative event to keep lawmakers informed, hear challenges and concerns, and ask legislators to support proposals to increase economic competitiveness.

Joe Uliana, Managing Principal of J.M. Uliana & Associates, who represents LVEDC on legislative issues, outlined LVEDC’s economic policy priorities for the year.

They include supporting proposals to increase economic development funding and making incentive programs flexible and deal-competitive, to ensure Pennsylvania can compete with other states for significant projects such as Lilly.

LVEDC also supports revising a tax credit program for semiconductor and biomedical manufacturing, to make it more flexible and allow smaller projects and emerging companies to qualify. Rep. Samuelson is working on legislation to revise the program.

Whalen outlined LVEDC’s Strategic Plan, which focuses on attracting high-value industries: life sciences, pharma, and biotech; advanced manufacturing and technology; food and beverage production; and professional and creative services, along with supporting development of the outdoor economy, tourism initiatives, and quality of place.

She noted Lehigh Valley is at an all-time high in jobs and median household income, with poverty levels lower than the state and nation, and the region was ranked the No. 1 mid-sized market in the U.S. for economic development in 2025. 

LVEDC Vice Presidents Karianne Gelinas, Kristin Cahayla-Hoffman, and Nicole Radzievich Mertz shared information about LVEDC’s talent development strategies, business development and attraction initiatives, and marketing and communications, including:

• LVEDC’s latest Talent Study, by Development Counsellors International, a national firm with expertise in talent research and strategy, will be published soon. It is based on surveys with employers, to identify education and training gaps in the workforce.
• Over the past decade, 325 economic development projects have generated more than $6.8 billion in investment and created or retained more than 20,965 jobs.
• LVEDC is partnering with the National Museum of Industrial History on a ”Made in Lehigh Valley” Time Capsule for the America 250 celebration and will be participating in the Lehigh Valley Welcome Center at the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic golf tournament later this year, to advance the “Made in Lehigh Valley” branding campaign. The campaign is part of a larger branding strategy that includes anchoring the region’s identity to the well-known products that are made here.
• Broadcom has recently joined LVEDC’s “Made in Lehigh Valley” billboard campaign, joining Crayola, Freshpet, Mack Trucks, Martin Guitar, and Just Born.