Highlights of Lehigh Valley Chamber's 2025 annual meeting

For those wondering if this year’s Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce annual meeting was going to have a musical act, they didn’t have to wait long.

Chamber President and CEO Tony Iannelli took the stage at the Wind Creek Event Center with students from Allen High School’s dancing theater and the TimeWhys rock group to cover “Celebrate,” the 1975 hit from Three Dog Night.

The full house in south Bethlehem was there to honor several award winners, salute a longtime Lehigh Valley advocate who recently passed away and look to the future.

Laurie Hackett, chair of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of...

Laurie Hackett, chair of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce board of governors and director of corporate and community relations at Air Products, gives the state of the chamber address Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, during the organization’s annual meeting at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

Yamelisa Jimenez Tavaras presents a milestone award to Robert Mateff who accepted on behalf of Cetronia Ambulance Corps on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, during the chamber’s annual meeting at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

Flo Scott presents a milestone award to Kimberly Pupillo who accepted on behalf of Mack Trucks on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, during the chamber’s annual meeting at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tony Iannelli hosts a session of “Business Matters” featuring professional golfer Dicky Pride and Jefferson Health CEO Joe Cacchione, pictured speaking, on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, during the chamber’s annual meeting at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tony Iannelli hosts a session of “Business Matters” featuring professional golfer Dicky Pride and Jefferson Health CEO Joe Cacchione on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, during the chamber’s annual meeting at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tony Iannelli performs the opening number with members of the Allen High School Dancing Theatre on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, during the chamber’s annual meeting at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tony Iannelli hosts a session of “Business Matters” featuring professional golfer Dicky Pride and Jefferson Health CEO Joe Cacchione on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, during the chamber’s annual meeting at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

Yamelisa Jimenez Tavaras presents a milestone award to Robert Mateft who accepted on behalf of Cetronia Ambulance Corps on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, during the chamber’s annual meeting at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tony Iannelli hosts a session of “Business Matters” featuring professional golfer Dicky Pride, pictured speaking, and Jefferson Health CEO Joe Cacchione on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, during the chamber’s annual meeting at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

Executive Director, Lehigh Valley International Airport Tom Stoudt gives airline tickets away on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, during the chamber’s annual meeting at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

Marc Rittle accepts a milestone award on behalf of New Bethany on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, during the chamber’s annual meeting at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tony Iannelli hosts a session of “Business Matters” featuring professional golfer Dicky Pride and Jefferson Health CEO Joe Cacchione on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, during the chamber’s annual meeting at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.

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Here are some highlights of the annual event:

Thank you, Nancy

Before getting into the program, the chamber played a video tribute to Nancy Dischinat, the Lehigh Valley’s workforce development guru for several decades, who died Saturday, just months after she announced her retirement.

Dischinat, 79, had been executive director for Workforce Board Lehigh Valley since 1998, and was a regular speaker at chamber and other business events across the Valley. She gave updates on the state of jobs in the region with a folksy charm that made an impression on many.

“We lost one of the most important people that we had in the Lehigh Valley,” Iannelli said. “I think so many of us loved Nancy Dischinat. She was amazing and gave 150% to everything, and was very comedic. We miss her so much.”

Business of the Year

The winner didn’t have to travel far to collect its award.

Wind Creek Bethlehem Executive Vice President and General Manager Patrick Ryan said the award shows how much of a connection the casino/resort has made with the Lehigh Valley.

Opened as the Sands Casino Resort in 2009 on former Bethlehem Steel land, it was bought by Wind Creek in 2019. It has more than 1,700 employees.

“From the very beginning it was simple,” Ryan said. “To create opportunity and honor the legacy of this city and the people who helped build it. What really makes it special isn’t just the beautiful property you see today, it’s the people behind it. The 1,700 team members who show up every day have a passion and a genuine love for what they do. Many of them have deep roots right here in the Lehigh Valley, and that connection is what makes this place feel like a family.”

Volunteer of the Year

Buddy Lesavoy, an attorney with Lesavoy, Butz & Seitz in South Whitehall Township, was honored for his decades of service to the chamber and several other Lehigh Valley organizations, including St. Luke’s University Health Network, Embassy Bank and the Bar Association of Lehigh County.

He has served as chairperson of the chamber’s board of governors.

“I have had the honor and privilege to help support and serve many great organizations in various capacities for over 50 years,” Lesavoy said. “And in doing so, I’ve learned so much from so many. My humble and grateful appreciation goes out to all of them.”

Lesavoy concentrates his practice in business, corporate and real estate matters and has worked with family and closely held businesses in the Lehigh Valley.

Milestone Awards

Three Valley organizations were honored on their anniversaries.

New Bethany, a nonprofit organization in Bethlehem that provides support for people experiencing poverty, hunger and homelessness, was recognized for its 40 years of service. Since 1985, it has provided more than 1.1 million meals and assisted thousands of people with such things as food assistance, housing and wellness.

Executive Director J. Marc Rittle said the organization is needed more than ever.

“Our community is in crisis,” he said. “We’ve seen a 120% increase in the homeless population since the pandemic. Our turkey drive is from feeding 300 families to providing 2,000 turkeys to the community. We also have a waiting list of 1,700 turkeys.”

Rittle mentioned New Bethany and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs are accepting frozen turkey donations Nov. 21 at Coca-Cola Park.

The Cetronia Ambulance Corps is celebrating its 70th anniversary, growing from eight volunteers and a 1948 Buick ambulance when it started to an organization of more than 200 professionals operating 47 vehicles and traveling 1 million miles annually.

“Our colleagues, which now number 200, are able to touch lives every day. It is truly an amazing organization to work for,” CEO Robert Mateff said. “We have a very strong and visionary core that helps guide us and a strong leadership team that mentors our staff, and then the individual employees that every day have an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life.”

Mack Trucks is celebrating its 125th anniversary, with its Lehigh Valley Operations plant in Macungie, along with the Mack Customer Experience and Mack Defense in Allentown.

Golf, anyone?

The event also included a taping of the “Business Matters” TV show featuring Iannelli, Jefferson Health CEO Joe Cacchione and pro golfer Dicky Pride.

The topic was the upcoming Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic, a Regular Season PGA Champions event in 2026 that will be played Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 at Lehigh Country Club in Lower Macungie Township.

Pride, who has been playing professionally since 1992, said older players who join the Champions Tour after a career in the PGA Tour find it easier to give back to the communities that host the tour because they are more established.

It’s also more fun to play.

“I always say I like golf because I don’t like doing things such as working out and practicing to play golf competitively,” he said. “What I love is competition. I love being in the fairway and we’re having that 5-foot putt to win a tournament. We have a chance to win a tournament, where you’re so nervous and that’s good. It’s what drives me to do those things. It’s the thing I love, the emotion of being in that position.”

Morning Call reporter Evan Jones can be reached at ejones@mcall.com.

Highlights of Lehigh Valley Chamber’s 2025 annual meeting

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