A screenshot of the investors section of the LVEDC website, which organizes investors by industry sector.

The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) always welcomes opportunities to show its appreciation for its investors, whose support make it possible for the organization to execute its mission of marketing the economic assets of the Lehigh Valley.

To that end, LVEDC recently revamped the investors section of its website, organizing the directory of investors by industry so they can be easily displayed and browsed by website visitors.

“The Lehigh Valley economy could never have experienced the levels of growth and success that we’ve seen in recent years without the investment of the region’s private sector,” said Don Cunningham, LVEDC President and CEO. “We are fortunate to have so many companies in the Lehigh Valley that understand the importance of investing in economic growth.”

LVEDC received more than $660,000 in private and public investment in 2017, making it the single largest investment year in the organization’s 23-year history. Earlier this year, LVEDC took out full-page advertisements in regional newspapers thanking those investing companies.

The investors section of the LVEDC website now organizes those companies by industry, including accounting, business services, finance and insurance, healthcare, legal services, manufacturing, real estate, transportation and warehousing, and many more.

“Our investors make it possible for our community to grow, develop, and improve our quality of life,” said Michael Keller, LVEDC Director of Marketing. “Their support enables our organization to implement the marketing, recruitment, and strategic initiatives that let us to compete with markets much larger than our own.”

LVEDC often receives inquiries seeking recommendations for firms to do business with in the Lehigh Valley. Keller said the organization as a practice does not make such recommendations, but will direct them to the investors section of the website as a starting point.

Investors at the $5,000 silver tier or higher receive images of logos on their LVEDC listing, with direct links to their website, Keller said. Investors at the $2,500 bronze tier have larger text, while those at the $1,000 contributor level have smaller text.

To learn more about investing in the economic development of the Lehigh Valley, view the 2018 Investment Opportunities here or fill out the short form at the bottom of this page to speak with our staff and learn more information.

LVEDC has an annual operating budget of $2.7 million. While about half of that revenue comes from public sources, primarily hotel tax proceeds, the other half comes from private entities and earnings on economic development financing and administrative fees.

LVEDC added 20 new investors in 2017, totaling more than $55,000, including five investors who came in at the $5,000 level or higher. Additionally, seven LVEDC investors increased their level of investment this year, including four who increased to the $5,000 level or above.