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Don Cunningham
LVEDC earns international recognition
Stacy Wescoe//August 27, 2026//
The Lehigh Valley recently received international recognition for its economic development efforts.
The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation has won three awards from the International Economic Development Council, including recognition as one of the world’s leading economic development organizations.
“These recognitions mean a lot because they come from our peers in economic development,” said Don Cunningham, president & CEO of LVEDC. “We’ve consistently placed at the top of class in telling the Lehigh Valley story and helping to grow our economy. It’s a testament to the collaboration and strength of the Lehigh Valley and the talent and hard work of our small but mighty staff at LVEDC.”
He noted that the LVEDC competed against the largest economic development organizations in the world.
The LVEDC won Gold Excellence in Economic Development Awards for its annual report and its Making Products & Making Places Fall Signature Event.
It also received a Bronze Award for Economic Development Organization of the Year
The International Economic Development Council is the largest economic development association in the world, with more than 4,500 members globally. LVEDC is one of only 97 organizations to meet the council’s rigorous accreditation standards.
This is the ninth consecutive year that LVEDC’s annual report has been recognized with an award from IEDC. The 2025 report illustrates how Lehigh Valley was ranked the No. 1 mid-sized region for economic development and attracting new businesses, including the region’s largest investment ever, Eli Lilly and Company’s $3.5 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing campus.
IEDC will celebrate the 2026 Excellence Awards winners at its upcoming Annual Conference in New Orleans in October.
