Accomplishments
Established in 1985, the Lehigh Valley Partnership has played an important role in key initiatives that have reshaped the region we now call the Lehigh Valley.
The Partnership was the organization that promoted the “rebranding” of this region as the Lehigh Valley, replacing previous approaches that concentrated on the three cities of the region.
Since its inception, the Partnership has promoted a regional approach to services and initiatives. Among the consolidation/regionalization efforts it has initiated or endorsed are:
- The Lehigh Valley Business Council on Health Care
- United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
- Red Cross of the Lehigh Valley
- The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation
- The Chamber of Commerce of the Greater Lehigh Valley
Other major Partnership initiatives include:
- Construction of Interstate 78 from New Jersey border to Route 22 at Fogelsville as well as the Route 33 connection between Route 22 and Interstate 78.
- Passage of enabling legislation for a Hotel Room Tax in Lehigh and Northampton County, which funds economic development and tourism.
- Establishment of Geographic Information System being managed by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, in cooperation with the two counties and three regional cities.
- The Lehigh Valley Brownfields Project, directed by the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, which facilitates safe and efficient reuse of former industrial sites in the region.
- The Green Future Fund open space referendum, which was passed by voters in both counties.
- Foundational support for the Lehigh Valley Inter-Regional Networking & Connecting Consortium, which enhances the ability of regional employers to recruit and retain diverse, highly skilled talent.
Current Priorities
Continued infrastructure improvements are crucial to the economic well-being and quality of life in the region. These improvements include roads, bridges, intra-modal rail facilities as well as water and sewer maintenance and expansion.
The many initiatives of the Partnership have proven the economic and efficiency benefits of a regional approach to providing services and meeting new challenges.
The Lehigh Valley has an outstanding collection of universities, colleges and community colleges. The Partnership provides an important opportunity for dialogue among the leaders of these academic institutions and the region’s largest employers. We cannot truly succeed as a region unless we recognize and value every individual in our community. The Partnership is committed to supporting regional initiatives that advance equity and inclusion and to maintaining inclusive cultures within the organizations we lead.
Attracting new business and industry and providing infrastructure essential to such growth is dependent on the region’s ability to train and attract qualified, motivated employees. Pennsylvania’s multi-layered government entities can prove challenging for land development. The Partnership is committed to exploring ways to make this process more efficient while still ensuring appropriate reviews by governmental agencies.
The quality of health care in the region will influence economic growth and stability. The Partnership promotes the creation of a culture of good health through support for an environment of healthy lifestyles and access to high quality health care delivery systems for all.
Who We Are
The members of the Partnership recognize the advantage of providing unified leadership to meet economic development challenges and to promote regional improvements that will enhance the quality of life in the region.
The Partnership was established in 1985 to mobilize private sector resources to meet regional needs.
Partnership members include the chief executive officers of the region’s largest employers, including the major hospitals and colleges and universities.
The members of the Partnership recognize the advantage of providing unified leadership to meet economic development challenges and to promote regional improvements that will enhance the quality of life in the region.
The chief executive officer of LVEDC, director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, the president of the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce and the director of Discover Lehigh Valley are members of the Partnership.
Also participating in the Partnership as ad hoc members are the county executives of Lehigh and Northampton counties and the mayors of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton.
The current officers of the Partnership are:
President
Jean-Claude Dubacher, Chairman & CEO, B. Braun Medical, Inc.
Treasurer:
Don Cunningham, President & CEO, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp.
Secretary:
Dan McCarthy, Retired PPL Corporate Communications and Community Affairs VP
Contact us
Dan McCarthy, Secretary
Lehigh Valley Partnership
c/o LVEDC
520 N. New Street
Bethlehem, PA 18018
Email: [email protected]