Don Cunningham, President & CEO of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC), will deliver keynote remarks and an economic overview during an address that will broadcast virtually on March 22.

The speech will be presented in lieu of a traditional LVEDC Annual Meeting, although the organization plans to hold an in-person event highlighting the regional economy some time in the fall if public health conditions from the COVID-19 crisis permit.

Don Cunningham

Cunningham’s remarks, which are expected to be about a half-hour in duration, will be broadcast at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22, via the LVEDC Facebook page. It will be free to view, but pre-registration is suggested. Visit here to register.

“We look forward to being able to gather more freely in-person in the near-future,” Cunningham said. “In the meantime, LVEDC remains committed to keeping our stakeholders informed about the development and the economic outlook of the Lehigh Valley, and we look forward to presenting that information through an informative and easily-accessible virtual program.”

After the event is broadcast live, it will be available to view on the LVEDC YouTube channel and the LVEDC website.

During his speech, Cunningham will provide an overview of economic activity in 2021 and discuss such topics as economic trends and initiatives, the conditions and opportunities created by the pandemic, and how the Lehigh Valley is positioned to face the economic challenges of the future.

The LVEDC 2021 Annual Report will also be released following the broadcast. The 40-page report highlights economic data and trends, major projects from the past year, target sectors like manufacturing and life sciences, and major LVEDC initiatives such as its talent strategies initiative and Made Possible in Lehigh Valley. 

The report will be available digitally and in hard copy form. Designed by Michelle Chrin and written entirely in-house, LVEDC’s annual report has won an Excellence in Economic Development Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) each of the last four consecutive years.

During the broadcast on March 22, Cunningham and Edward Dougherty, Chair of the LVEDC Board of Directors, will also recognize outgoing board members whose tenures recently ended, as well as welcome new members just joining the board.

The virtual program will be filmed and edited by PBS39 and filmed at its Bethlehem studio.