Five new members have been elected to the Board of Directors for Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC), and five current members were re-elected to a second term.

A public-private partnership, LVEDC is governed by a Board of 35 directors, senior leaders from the region’s largest employers, institutions, and government partners. This cross-section of public and private sector leaders is committed to strengthening the Lehigh Valley’s economy and expanding opportunity for residents at every skill and education level.

“The LVEDC Board unites leading voices from business and government across the Lehigh Valley. Their diverse talents and fresh perspectives help us anticipate change, strengthen the region’s economy, and expand opportunity for everyone,” said Don Cunningham, President & CEO of LVEDC.

The new Board members were elected March 17 and recognized that afternoon at LVEDC’s Annual Meeting, which drew a record audience of about 1,000 people to ArtsQuest in Bethlehem:

• Dan Adamo, Vice President, Customer Relations, UGI Utilities
• Rob Cuscino, Vice President, Regional Development – Americas, Evonik Corporation
• John Fistner, Founder and CEO, AblePay Health
• Guillaume Giroudon, Vice President and General Manager, Lehigh Valley Operations, Mack Trucks
• Dr. David A. Ruth, President, Northampton Community College

Five Board members were re-elected to another term:

• Dr. Lisa Greenawalt, Executive Director, Lehigh Career & Technical Institute
• Rev. James Greenfield, President, DeSales University
• Ben Hussa, Vice President, Taxes and Corporate Treasurer, Air Products and Chemicals
• Thomas Ike, Executive Vice President, Lutron Electronics
• Rachel McDevitt, Vice President of Human Resources, C.F. Martin & Co.

The majority of LVEDC’s Board Members are private sector leaders elected by the organization’s Executive Tier investors. The Board works closely with LVEDC’s leadership team, helping to shape the organization’s long-term direction and provide strategic guidance to recruit and retain employers, attract and develop talent, and keep the region competitive for years to come.

Board members are essential in the development of LVEDC’s long-term strategic plan by defining its vision, priorities, and strategic initiatives.

“The LVEDC Board understands that regional collaboration drives economic competitiveness. In partnership with LVEDC’s leadership team, the Board sets long-term direction and provides strategic guidance to advance LVEDC’s mission of building a stronger economy and community,” said Steve Hoff, Board Chair and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Crayola.

Public sector Board members include city mayors and county executives who are on the Board as ex-officio members through their positions.

Three new Board members representing local governments joined the Board earlier this year by virtue of their elected positions – Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel; Northampton County Executive Tara Zrinski; and Northampton County Commissioner Jeff Warren. They replaced former ex-officio members Phillips Armstrong of Lehigh County and Lamont McClure and Lori Vargo Heffner of Northampton County.

At the Annual Meeting, LVEDC recognized them and four outgoing private sector elected Board members whose terms expired:

• Dr. Ann Bieber, President, Lehigh Carbon Community College
• Loren Speziale, Partner, Gross McGinley LLP
• Neal Koplin, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Banking Officer, Peoples Security Bank & Trust
• Carolyn Stennett, Vice President Human Resources, Victaulic