Support for economic development in the Lehigh Valley reached new heights in 2025, as Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) received a record level of support through investor contributions and event sponsorships during a year when the region earned recognition as the No. 1 mid-sized market in the U.S. 

More than 160 companies and organizations financially backed LVEDC’s strategies, demonstrating a continued and growing commitment to a collaborative, regional approach in building the Lehigh Valley’s economy. 

“The Lehigh Valley continues to stand out as a place where partnerships turn shared goals into real results. This past year has shown what’s possible through the power of collaboration and partnerships that move our region forward,” said Don Cunningham, President and CEO of LVEDC.

Investment in economic development increases employment opportunities, providing more choices for people in the Lehigh Valley to support themselves and their families. Those workers in turn support local businesses and the local economy. In the past four years, that impact includes the creation of more than 17,000 new jobs and $4.3 billion in spending by companies on new or expanded facilities.

“We are grateful for the continued confidence of our investors, whose support allows LVEDC’s work to continue and reflects a shared belief in the Lehigh Valley’s future,” said Steve Hoff, LVEDC Board Chair and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Crayola. “Sustained success requires a continued commitment to act as one region.”

Investment Drives Strategies that Work

LVEDC is a non-profit that is accredited by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and has twice been named by IEDC as one of America’s top economic development organizations.

Through their investment, companies and organizations that financially support LVEDC are seeking strategies that:

• Develop talent for the region’s employers
• Target economic growth in high-value industries including life sciences and pharmaceuticals; professional and creative services; and food and beverage and other advanced manufacturing
• Identify key properties for development and prepare them so they are shovel ready
• Promote the advantages of doing business in the Lehigh Valley and share stories about the region’s exceptional quality of life
• Expand the partnerships that have made the Lehigh Valley a model for strategic economic development across Pennsylvania and beyond

LVEDC’s Strategic Plan for 2025-2027 prioritizes those strategies, and those efforts recently helped to deliver the largest economic development project in Lehigh Valley history.

In January, Eli Lilly and Company announced it had selected the Lehigh Valley over more than 300 other regions as the location for a $3.5 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing campus that will employ 850 people and create 2,000 construction jobs.

Lilly, the world’s largest maker of medicines, cited several reasons for choosing Lehigh Valley, including: a favorably zoned site with interstate access; the Lehigh Valley’s workforce and commitment to talent development; the region’s manufacturing heritage and established life sciences market; and collaboration among local, regional, and state officials to deliver the project on time.

Record Investment

The record investment of nearly $955,000 in LVEDC in 2025 occurred during a year when Lehigh Valley ranked as the No. 1 mid-sized market for economic development in the U.S. by Site Selection magazine, the benchmark assessment of economic development and growth used by the corporate real estate and site selection profession.

In the Site Selection ranking, expansions and new locations from a diversity of companies – from global brands to family-owned legacies in life sciences, food and beverage, and other advanced manufacturing – put the Lehigh Valley ahead of its peers.

LVEDC’s private investors are made up of businesses and regional organizations, representing a wide range of sectors and industries of the economy. LVEDC also receives annual public sector investment from Lehigh and Northampton counties. A complete list of investors can be found on LVEDC’s website, here.

In addition to investment, regional partners support economic development through sponsorship of LVEDC events that gather stakeholders to hear key insights, data, and stories that illustrate how regional strategies are contributing to Lehigh Valley’s success.

The Lehigh Valley’s Gross Domestic Product is now $57.3 billion. The economy is diverse and balanced, driven by a growing manufacturing sector of about 700 companies that produce a collective output of $8.9 billion.

That growth is translating into real opportunity.

Total employment in the Lehigh Valley has reached an all-time high of 343,975 jobs. Median household income has risen to a record $84,260, outpacing both Pennsylvania ($77,971) and the United States ($80,734).

“The strength of LVEDC’s coalition has always been the willingness of businesses and community leaders to invest in the region’s future,” said Jaime Whalen, Executive Vice President & Chief of Staff at LVEDC. “As the Lehigh Valley continues to gain national recognition, we see an opportunity to expand that coalition even further so we can accelerate the strategies our stakeholders have set for the region and build on the momentum we’ve created together. We welcome others who share that commitment to be part of what comes next.”

Businesses and organizations interested in supporting LVEDC’s work and joining the Lehigh Valley’s growing coalition can learn more here.

Seven investors, many of them longtime supporters, boosted their level of support in 2025:

B. Braun

FastSigns of Allentown

Remington and Vernick Engineers

Lehigh Valley Industrial Park

Martin Guitar

Travaglini

ArtsQuest

Eleven new or returned investors contributed support in 2025:

TD Bank Charitable Foundation

Alvernia University

Lahoud Law Group, P.C.

RKL

Comcast

Community Bank

KCI Technologies, Inc.

Penn Community Bank

The Pidcock Company

Center for Sustainable Innovation

Mowery

Several partners significantly increased their level of support through event sponsorship, including:

Crayola

City Center Group

Freshpet