The Lebanon Valley Chamber Business Connection provides an inside look at our Chamber initiatives and the businesses that make our community thrive.

Chamber fun facts

The Lebanon Valley Chamber pays dues as well! We belong to the PA Chamber of Business & Industry and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
In 1991, Susan Allwein, Allwein’s Carpet One, was the first female Chair of the Board, 75 years after the organization was founded.
We present First Dollars to new businesses in the area. This month, we presented eight! Did you recently open a business? Let us know!

State and regional Connections

The Lebanon Valley Chamber not only works on a local level but also connects to leaders at the regional and state levels. Karen Groh serves as Chair of two state-level boards: the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) and the PENNIE Advisory Council. Lori Brandt serves on the Board of Trustees of HACC (Harrisburg Area Community College).

Programming

November was a huge month for workshops and business support. Here are a few of our programs from the past month:

CEO/Leadership Breakfast on Hiring in Uncertain Times
HR/Workforce Roundtable on Shared Work Programs
Non-Profit Roundtable on programming for 2026
Small Business Workshop on Employee or Contractor
Breakfast and Business workshop on 2025 Tax Preview

We held the 5^th Annual Lebanon County PITCH and gave away $10,000 in grants! Seven local entrepreneurs competed by presenting their business plans and giving live presentations to a panel of judges. First place, worth $5,000, went to Baked with a Twist. Second place, worth $3,000, went to Windmill Art Studios. The Women in Business Grant of $2,000 went to The Canine Canvas – a recent ELCO High School graduate who attended the PITCH in 2024!

What’s important to our future workforce

We hosted the Youth Advisory Board, made up of Lebanon County High School students, and asked them: What would keep you in Lebanon County, or make you return to it, after completing trade school or college?

Jobs that match their career choice
(tie) Family and friends & safety/quality of life
Low cost of living
Entertainment and culture

Upcoming news

Next week we’ll celebrate with about 250 businesspeople at our annual Membership Breakfast and Awards. During this year-end recap and awards event, we’ll honor several individuals who make a difference in our community.

Community Builder – Jennifer Kuzo, President of Visit Lebanon Valley.
ATHENA Award – Susan Blouch, Executive Director, Lebanon Rescue Mission.
Small Business Person of the Year – Andrew Inch, Owner, Inch by Inch Construction.
Bob Harris Memorial Chairman’s Award – Jennifer Thompson, Sr. HR Manager, VF Corp

Awards will also be presented for the Ambassador of the Year and Non-Profit of the Year. Winners have not been announced yet.

Hellos and goodbyes

Say hello to Delta Quinones, Director of Membership & Engagement

Delta will be responsible for cultivating new members, leading our Ambassador Committee, assisting existing members to ensure they thrive, and so much more.

Delta has experience in human resources and customer service. She brings a passion for serving the business community and a strong commitment to our mission. We know that Delta is an excellent addition to our organization.

As a bilingual professional, Delta has begun translating chamber materials to Spanish as we look to provide bilingual programming in the future.

We’re thrilled to have her on board and look forward to the energy, ideas, and expertise she’ll bring to the Chamber and to our members.

Say goodbye to Diane Harlow, Director of Workforce Strategy, who joined the team in 2022.

It’s with great sadness that we say goodbye to Diane Harlow, who is retiring after being an incredible team member for 3½ years.

“As I prepare to conclude my time with the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce, I am filled with deep gratitude. Serving our business community has been an honor and a privilege. I am thankful for the trust, partnership, and support that so many have extended throughout my tenure. Working alongside dedicated employers, educators, nonprofit leaders, and colleagues has strengthened my belief in the resilience and promise of our region.
Together, we advanced meaningful workforce initiatives, cultivated new opportunities for businesses and learners, and built connections that will continue to benefit Lebanon County for years to come. I am sincerely appreciative of the relationships formed, the collaboration shared, and the impact we achieved together.”

Diane, on behalf of the Chamber and our business community, we are deeply thankful for all you have done.

From the President & CEO

November was impactful as we did so much to connect and celebrate the accomplishments in our community.

U-Haul of Lebanon hosted us for a Midday Mingle networking and lunch event.
We just published our first Lebanon County Wage and Benefits Report. To purchase the report, please contact the Chamber.
Karen met with the Special Advisor to the Secretary of the PA Department of Labor & Industry to talk about trends in the state and our region.
Karen serves on the Lebanon Emergency Planning Committee and periodically helps the Lebanon County Department of Emergency Services during Emergency Operations Center (EOC) exercises to help the county prepare for actual emergencies. November was a tough one to get through.
Karen served as a judge for the Community of Lebanon Association Holiday Parade, and Lori served as a Marshal. It was so much fun! Thank you, CLA, for all you do.

What do our members say?

“I appreciate the networking opportunities and leadership training available through the Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber’s staff is responsive, genuinely caring, and deeply invested in our community’s success. We are lucky to have such an active local Chamber to help drive business growth in our region.”
Kate Gerdes, Lebanon Valley College.

Do you have questions about our chamber? Call 717-273-3727 or visit lvchamber.org.

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