Early on Monday, May 4, a bus carrying Erie’s business, civic and community leaders departed from the city’s waterfront and headed to Harrisburg. On board were representatives from government, education, nonprofits, utilities and industry, all traveling with a shared schedule, coordinated priorities, and a unified message.
Kim Thomas
That alone is worth noting. It is difficult to gather, journey and show up — from the farthest reach of our commonwealth.
For too long, Erie’s potential outpaced its results. Not because we lacked talent or opportunity, but because our efforts fell to fragmentation, and scarcity drove us to compete rather than coalesce. Organizations driven to make a difference, sometimes unknowingly pursued overlapping or competing goals. While other regions presented a clear, aligned vision for investment, what we heard in Harrisburg was that Erie’s voice was harder to define.
A bus stands ready in the early morning hours of May 4, 2026, to depart the Intermodal Transportation Center. Dozens of local leaders traveled to Harrisburg to convey the region’s needs and readiness for investment.
That is changing, and Erie Day made that change visible.
Over the course of two days, Erie’s delegation met with legislators and members of the Shapiro administration to discuss priorities ranging from infrastructure and workforce development to housing and economic growth — and we presented an aspirational but achievable vision for our community. And beyond the individual conversations, something more important was demonstrated: Erie showed up as a coordinated and well-prepared region.
That matters because state investment does not happen in a vacuum. It follows readiness. It follows coordination. It follows communities that can clearly articulate priorities and demonstrate the ability to deliver results.
Erie Day was not just an opportunity to share needs. It was an opportunity to demonstrate that Erie is ready.
That readiness has been built over time through more intentional collaboration across organizations. Efforts like the Infinite Erie Playbook and the Erie Regional Chamber’s Erie 300 Strategy have helped align local leaders around shared priorities and create a more cohesive vision for the region’s future.
This is a placard prepared for the May 4, 2026, Erie Day event in Harrisburg. A cross-sector team of Erie leaders met over the course of two days with members of the Shapiro administration to convey the region’s needs and priorities and readiness for state investment.
Those priorities are not theoretical. They are focused on real, measurable outcomes: increasing access to safe and affordable housing, advancing development along Erie’s waterfront, securing air service for Erie, and supporting economic growth that creates jobs and opportunities for residents.
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More than 25 organizations represented those priorities in Harrisburg — a delegation led by our Erie County Executive and Mayor of the city of Erie. While each brings a unique perspective and mission, the message was consistent. Erie is aligned. Erie is focused. Erie is moving forward.
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That alignment is already beginning to change how Erie is seen. The region has begun receiving increased attention, stronger engagement, and growing recognition for its potential. Local organizations working together must become the standard.
For Erie’s business leaders, policymakers and community partners, this moment represents an opportunity to build on the progress that has been made. The region has demonstrated what is possible when it moves forward together. But collaboration is not the end goal. It is the foundation.
Real progress depends on what happens next. It requires accountability, transparency and continued engagement with the people who call Erie home. It requires carrying this same level of coordination into everyday decisions, not just moments like Erie Day.
Because what happened in Harrisburg cannot be a one-day effort. This approach continues, and the alignment shown on Erie Day translates into sustained action and measurable results.
Brandon Mendoza, CEO of the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, speaks on the steps of the Pennsylvania Capitol building in Harrisburg on Erie Day, May 4, 2026. He was part of a group of Erie leaders who traveled to Harrisburg to advocate for funding for local projects.
Erie’s future will not be shaped by any single initiative or organization — or a single person. It will be defined by how consistently we show up together, aligned and ready to deliver.
And for the first time in a long time, Erie is doing exactly that.
Kim Thomas is the executive director of Infinite Erie. Brandon Mendoza is the CEO of the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: One region, one message, Erie IDs priorities in Harrisburg | Opinion