Pennsylvania Economic Development Association upcoming events

2026 Pennsylvania Allies Program (11/03/2026)

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Pennsylvania Allies Program:
Training for Local Economic Development Stakeholders

Who Should Participate:

This program is NOT designed for full-time economic development professionals.

Rather, it has been designed for professionals working in roles that actively support economic development organizations and their efforts within PA communities (e.g., board members of economic development organizations, local elected officials, community groups / representatives, chambers of commerce, local government workers and the agencies they represent, etc.). PEDA believes that by providing local economic development stakeholders with an introductory understanding of economic development trends and tools (and their own role in becoming champions within their communities), they will have the background, information and confidence to make informed decisions that can directly – and positively – impact the communities in which they live. With instruction by industry professionals and with the benefit of real-life examples, individuals participating in this program will develop a basic understanding of what economic development means, today, and what role(s) they can play in the process.

Program Elements:

Training: The 2026 version of this program will be presented as a 6-part series, delivered via Zoom.

Certificate: Participants completing the program will receive a certificate, documenting their achievement. (Participation in all 6 virtual sessions is required to receive the certificate, while participation in the reception - which requires a separate fee, as outlined in the next bullet - is optional.)

Networking: Beyond the intrinsic value of the program’s sessions, PEDA strongly recognizes the importance of networking. For a separate fee, registrants of this program will have the opportunity to participate in an evening reception scheduled to take place on Monday, October 26, 2026 from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Wyndham Gettysburg (primary venue for the 2026 PEDA Fall Conference, a separate event for which additional information and registration options can be found here.)

Communication: Participants will receive communications pertinent to economic development.

Program Session Dates, Times, Titles & Presenters*:

Session 1: Tuesday, November 3, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 pm ~ virtual

Economic Development in Your Community

Steve McKnight | President & CEO | Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation
Rick Vilello, Jr. | Deputy Secretary, Community Affairs and Development | Pennsylvania DCED

Session 2: Tuesday, November 10, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 pm ~ virtual

Public Finance Tools: Grants & Local Programs

Ryan Emerson | Director of Grants | Pennsylvania DCED

Session 3: Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 pm ~ virtual

Supporting & Accelerating Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Your Community

Ryan Glenn | Director of Statewide Initiatives | Ben Franklin Technology Partners
Bob Starzynski | VP of Business Development | Innovation Works

Session 4: Tuesday, December 1, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 pm ~ virtual

Identifying International Business Opportunities for Local Companies

Katherine Skopp | Managing Director, International Operations, BusinessPA | Pennsylvania DCED

Session 5: Tuesday, December 8, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 pm ~ virtual

The Economic Impact of Recreational Development

Nathan Reigner, PhD | Director of Outdoor Recreation | Pennsylvania DCNR
Silas Chamberlin, PhD | Chief Strategy Officer / VP of Economic & Community Development | York County Economic Alliance

Session 6: Tuesday, December 15, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 pm ~ virtual

The Changing Workforce

Jesse McCree | CEO | SCPA Works

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Networking Reception (Optional Add-On / Separate Fee): Monday, October 26, 2026 | 5:30-7:00 pm ~ live

Networking Reception (optional add-on / separate fee)

The live networking reception will take place at the Wyndham Gettysburg in Gettysburg, PA.

*subject to change

Consent to Use of Photo / Video / Audio:

Registration for, attendance at or participation in this event – or any of its functions – constitutes an agreement by the registrant, attendee or participant to PEDA’s photographing and / or recording of this event (or portions thereof) and to PEDA’s use and distribution (both now and in the future) of the registrant’s, attendee’s or participant’s image and/or likeness and/or voice (as recorded on audio or video) without compensation.

Cancellation / Refund / Substitution Policies:

If the need to cancel your participation in the Zoom sessions should arise, please notify PEDA – in writing, by emailing sdreese@wannerassoc.com – by 4:30 pm on October 5, 2026. Where applicable, if the need to cancel your confirmed participation in the optional reception arises, please notify PEDA – in writing, by emailing sdreese@wannerassoc.com – by that same date and time, noting that no refunds will be provided after that point. Substitutions are permitted.

Recognition of Support:

This Project was financed in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, DCED.

Consent to Share Information:

Registration for, attendance at or participation in this series constitutes an agreement by the registrant, attendee or participant to allow PEDA to share his/her/their name, title and organization name (a) with session presenters and (b) with entities that have provided financial support for the series (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development and other authorized representatives) only insofar as doing so would allow PEDA to demonstrate the impact of the series.

Zoom credentials will be emailed to registrants in advance of the first virtual session.

Questions should be directed to Shelly Lawyer at sdreese@wannerassoc.com.

Please note capacity for this series is limited.

Save the Dates - 2027 PEDA Spring Conference (04/12/2027)

Mon, 12 Apr 2027 04:00:00 GMT

2027 PEDA Spring Conference

Hilton Harrisburg • Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

@PEDAtweets #PEDAspring27

Photo Credit: Hilton Harrisburg

PEDA is the primary statewide organization representing economic development professionals and, as such, provides opportunities to share best practices that enhance the professional dialogue and support local, regional, and state economic development initiatives.

Who should attend? Those in attendance are expected to include professionals representing economic and community development at the municipal, county, regional, and state levels as well as workforce development professionals, commercial and industrial developers, business incubator operators, project finance professionals, IDA directors, elected officials, and executives representing utilities and transportation, engineering, and construction.

CONFERENCE AGENDA & REGISTRATION

Please check back at a later date for details.

PRE-CONFERENCE SESSION

Please check back at a later date for details.

SPONSORSHIP

Please check back at a later date for details.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

The conference will be held at the Hilton Harrisburg, located at One North Second Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101. A link to a customized reservation page will be added here at a later date, through which conference attendees will be able to reserve overnight rooms at a discounted rate of $169/night.

PARKING

Overnight guests of the Hilton Harrisburg may park in the connecting Walnut Street parking garage at a reduced rate. Please check back at a later date for details. (Note: Parking rates are subject to increases.)

CONSENT TO USE OF PHOTO / VIDEO / AUDIO

Registration for, attendance at or participation in the conference - or any of its functions - constitutes an agreement by the registrant, attendee or participant to PEDA's photographing and/or recording of this event (or portions thereof) and to PEDA’s use and distribution (both now and in the future) of the registrant’s, attendee’s or participant’s image and/or likeness and/or voice (as recorded on audio or video) without compensation.

ADA RESTRICTIONS / DIETARY RESTRICTIONS / FOOD ALLERGIES

If you have any ADA restrictions, dietary restrictions or food allergies you would like PEDA or the conference venue(s) to be aware of, please list them on the registration form (or during the online registration process) or contact PEDA headquarters.

EARLY BIRD RATES

Early bird registration rates will be honored only for registrations received and fully paid by the established deadline. PEDA reserves the right to assess the standard registration rate for registrations received after the deadline or only partially completed by the deadline.

IEDC RECOGNITION

PEDA plans to pursue event recognition of this event through the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), requesting that it be considered as a professional development event that counts towards the recertification of Certified Economic Developers (CEcDs).

AGENDA & REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Please note the agenda, registration information and other details included on this website, in the registration brochure or in any related materials or communications are subject to change at any time without notice.

CANCELLATION / REFUND / SUBSTITUTION POLICIES

Requests for cancellations and refunds must be made via email (to info@peda.org) and received by the date and time listed in the registration brochure. No refunds will be granted after that point. All cancellations and refunds are subject to an administrative fee. No-shows will be billed in full. Substitutions are permitted, but are subject to rate adjustments (i.e., member vs. non-member, early-bird vs. standard, etc.), where applicable.

Information on this page is subject to change.

The dress code for this event is business casual.

Once capacity has been reached for this conference, no further registrations can be accepted. If a registration/payment is received after capacity has been reached, it will be returned or refunded as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Should registration figures exceed room capacity limitations during a portion of a conference – for any reason – PEDA reserves the right to provide a partial refund to some registrants (beginning with the last registration and working backward) in exchange for them forgoing participation in that portion of the event.

Please do not leave items unattended in function rooms, as neither PEDA nor the conference venue(s) can ensure their security and neither will be held liable for missing or damaged items.

Save the Dates - 2027 PEDA Fall Conference (10/27/2027)

Wed, 27 Oct 2027 04:00:00 GMT

2027 PEDA Fall Conference

the Alloy, a DoubleTree by Hilton • King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

@PEDAtweets #PEDAfall27

Who is PEDA?

Who should attend?

Those in attendance are expected to include professionals representing economic and community development at the municipal, county, regional, and state levels as well as workforce development professionals, commercial and industrial developers, business incubator operators, project finance professionals, IDA directors, elected officials, and executives representing utilities and transportation, engineering, and construction.

CONFERENCE AGENDA & REGISTRATION

Please check back at a later date for details.

PRE-CONFERENCE SESSION: TBD

Please check back at a later date for details.

SPONSORSHIP

Please check back at a later date for details.

The Pennsylvania Economic Development Association (PEDA) is classified as a 501(c)(6) association by the Internal Revenue Service.

CONFERENCE VENUES / HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

Please check back at a later date for details.

PARKING

Please check back at a later date for details.

CONSENT TO USE OF PHOTO / VIDEO / AUDIO

ADA RESTRICTIONS / DIETARY RESTRICTIONS / FOOD ALLERGIES

If you have any ADA restrictions, dietary restrictions or food allergies of which you would like PEDA and / or the conference venue(s) to be aware, please list them on the registration form, provide them during the online registration process or contact PEDA headquarters.

EARLY BIRD RATE

IEDC RECOGNITION

AGENDA & REGISTRATION INFORMATION

CANCELLATION / REFUND / SUBSTITUTION POLICIES

Information on this page is subject to change.

The dress code for this event is business casual.

Please do not leave items unattended in function rooms, as neither PEDA nor the conference venue(s) can ensure their security and neither will be held liable for missing or damaged items.

Pennsylvania Economic Development Association upcoming events

2026 Pennsylvania Allies Program (11/03/2026)

Pennsylvania Allies Program: Training for Local Economic Development Stakeholders

Save the Dates - 2027 PEDA Spring Conference (04/12/2027)

2027 PEDA Spring Conference

Hilton Harrisburg • Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

@PEDAtweets #PEDAspring27

Save the Dates - 2027 PEDA Fall Conference (10/27/2027)

2027 PEDA Fall Conference

the Alloy, a DoubleTree by Hilton • King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

@PEDAtweets #PEDAfall27

Pennsylvania Allies Program:
Training for Local Economic Development Stakeholders