The Greater Wilkes-Barre
Chamber of Business and Industry named Economic Development Agency of the Year

From left: J. Patrick Killian, Pennsylvania Economic Development Association president;
Michael Lombardo, COO of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry; Larry
Newman, Vice President of Economic and Community Development of the Greater Wilkes-Barre
Chamber of Business and Industry; and Charles Leonard, Pennsylvania Economic
Development Association immediate past president.

The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry received the 2006 Pennsylvania Economic Development Association Agency of the Year Award during the 2007 Spring Conference April 17 in Harrisburg.

The Pennsylvania Economic Development Association (PEDA) is the statewide association of local, state, corporate and non-profit economic development professionals. PEDA's mission is to promote sound economic development policies, provide leading edge economic development education, and nurture an effective statewide economic development network to foster the economic health of the Commonwealth.

The 2006 PEDA Membership Awards are presented to individuals and organizations that have demonstrated outstanding accomplishments in Economic Development over the past year. The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry was recognized for its efforts on the South Main Street Redevelopment Project — also known as the Northampton & Main Project.

 “The decision to name a recipient is never an easy one for the PEDA Awards Committee to make,” Kathleen Davis, chair of the PEDA Awards Committee said. “There were several excellent nominations for each award. It is a matter of selecting the ‘best of the best.’ Consideration for a PEDA Award is something to be proud of, not just because of the award itself, but ultimately because of the accomplishments that lead to it.”

“Economic development corporations traditionally develop industrial parks and business complexes, but the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber stepped out from its traditional role and stepped up as developer of last resort on a $31 million dollar downtown mixed-use project,” said Michael Lombardo, COO of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry. “Downtown Wilkes-Barre needed a catalyst that would spark long-range development and excitement in the public and private sectors. We are starting to see the results of this spark.”