Hires continue the strategic restructuring of economic development organization

Lewis

BETHLEHEM (October 30, 2013) – Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation has announced that Sarah Lewis, of Lower Macungie Township, and Katie Lynch, of Bethlehem, have accepted positions as directors in the area of research and data and economic development.

“Both Sarah and Katie have distinguished themselves in their areas of expertise,” said Don Cunningham, president and CEO of LVEDC. “Both pay close attention to detail and possess the ability to help LVEDC advance its core missions of marketing the Lehigh Valley and promoting economic development which results in job creation and growth throughout our region.”

Lewis, 31, is responsible for coordinating and directing the gathering of economic development data. She will also use her research skills to assist the organization’s recruitment, retention and expansion initiatives. She reports directly to Matthew Tuerk, vice president of administration and investor relations.

“I wanted to take the skills that I’ve acquired and apply them in an environment that I would be making a direct impact on where I am living and raising my family,” said Lewis when asked why she wanted to work at LVEDC.

Lynch

Lynch, 32, is responsible for providing assistance to business prospects interested in relocation, retention and expansion throughout the region. Lynch most recently served as a grants manager with Millennium Strategies, a grant writing and economic development firm. Lynch reports directly to Jarrett Witt, vice president of economic development.

“I am very interested in the growth and prosperity of our region as a whole,” Lynch noted as her reason for embarking on a career at LVEDC. “The Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton area has so much to offer, and I have always found it important to support growth and tell the world about this great metro area.

“When I learned of the reorganization of LVEDC under Don Cunningham’s leadership, I thought this would be a great place to put both my professional skills as well as my enthusiasm for our region to work,” she said.

Lewis had been responsible for monitoring and controlling data quality for Geoban U.S., a division of the Santander Group. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Moravian College, where she also minored in sociology. Lynch is a graduate of Temple University, where she earned Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism, public relations and advertising. She previously worked for the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce and was director of the Downtown Bethlehem Association.

When asked what impact her work would have on the region, Lewis noted “by providing accurate and current information, it will give us an edge on helping to attract more companies to the Lehigh Valley.” Lewis has already been working on restructuring the way that LVEDC obtains and stores data. She’s also developing a process of maintaining accuracy of that data.

Lynch is focusing on the Lehigh Valley’s educational, business and cultural offerings – and on ways to bring additional jobs to the region. She is working with Witt to create a strategic plan for the department for 2014 and beyond. In addition, Lynch has been targeting prospects of varying size and scope to help entice them to locate within the Lehigh Valley.

The hires continue the restructuring that Cunningham set in motion in February when he hired Tuerk and John McGran as director of data & research and vice president of marketing, respectively. In August, Cunningham announced Tuerk would become vice president of administration and investor relations, with Witt promoted to vice president of economic development.

“The strategic restructuring is enabling LVEDC to more efficiently create a full service, one-stop shop to assist companies to come here, to grow here or to start here,” said Cunningham. “One of my chief goals as leader of LVEDC is to be more proactive in our efforts. We need to do that to remain competitive against other regions, but we also want to do that because it creates more opportunities for the Lehigh Valley.