Pennsylvania DCED Opens Governor's Action Team Regional Office in Lehigh Valley

News provided by

Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development

Mar 27, 2012, 11:30 ET

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary C. Alan Walker today announced that the Governor's Action Team, or GAT, has opened an office in the Lehigh Valley to better serve the region. The office will service Berks, Lehigh, Monroe and Northampton counties.

"This new office will give us the ability to respond more effectively to the job-creating opportunities presented by an increased level of business expansion and attraction activity in the region," said Walker. "We look forward to working with our local economic development partners and elected officials in the region to continue bringing economic investment and new jobs to Pennsylvania."

The Lehigh Valley regional office will be located at 2158 Ave. C in Bethlehem and will be staffed by Janet Smith, who will serve as the regional director. Smith has been a member of the Governor's Action Team for five years and previously served in a senior position with the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation.

"With all the growth the Lehigh Valley has seen recently and the interest businesses have shown in investing in our region, the opening of a new office for the Governor's Action Team by DCED is ideal," said Sen. Pat Browne. "Businesses have sent a clear message that they want to locate and do business in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding communities. I am pleased that Governor Corbett and Secretary Walker have recognized that interest and opened this office."

The Governor's Action Team, or GAT, is a group of economic development professionals who work directly with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania. GAT provides site-selection assistance, coordinates the involvement of other state agencies as needed, and packages the appropriate economic development funding for the project. Headquartered in Harrisburg, GAT also maintains offices in Erie, Lewisburg, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Scranton.

For more information about the Governor's Action Team and other economic development initiatives in Pennsylvania, call 1-866-466-3972 or visit www.newPA.com.

Media contacts: Steven Kratz, DCED, 717-783-1132; Matt Moyer, Sen. Browne, 610-366-2327

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development