LVEDC's top dog, Phil Mitman, has stepped down. Mitman came under fire last June for an official tweet announcing, "We start summer hours today. That means most of the staff leave at noon, many to hit the links. Do you observe summer hours? What do you do?" He fired the tweeter, which just got the twitterati all worked up.
He might be headed to Easton Area Industrial Land Development, whose board voted on Phil replacing retiring Executive Director Charles Roseberry last month.
Updated 1:45 PM: The Express Times and Morning Call now have stories confrming this report.
30 comments:
About the hell time.
Now we can only hope for someone legitimate instead of another political hack. I'm not holding my breath.
Perfect replacement???
Ron Angle...
Surely there's room in Allentown City Hall for another political hack that needs a job. Maybe ASD can hire him as Joyce Marin's assistant. On a more serious note, I see that the WFMZ Arena Construction Cam is temporarily off-line. I was having so much fun watching that!
"The Don" is in the wings!
Now he'll have less time to golf
Mittman was a credit to LVEDC. We should thank him for his service.
It will probably be between Cunningham and Callahan. Callahan has said he will be county executive, so I guess the job goes to the Don.
I don't think it goes to either Callahan or Cunningham. From what I hear, they really are looking for an economic development professional, even though they already have one in their own ranks.
where ever mittman goes he is under qualified and over paid
both jonny and donny are all seeing and all knowing mixed in with a healthy dose of BS
Give it to the Don
"economic development professional, even though they already have one in their own ranks."
Bernie,
Just out of curiosity, who are you referring to? I know they have some good people in their ranks.
Pete Reinke. He's unassuming so people don't notice him, but he's been very successful at snagging new businesses.
Bernie,
Your idea of Pete Reinke is a great one. Although I've known him for years, I overlooked him, too. He's intelligent, experienced, and knowledgable. But who would want someone like that?
Pete is a good guy and one of the drivers of that organization. They should give him a shot.
There is another guy in that organization that should be considered...
Name?
All of you are right about Pete. As has been intimated, Pete will be overlooked because he has integrity and they will "give it" to someone who is "owed".
For sure LVEDC will screw this up, and since they are overachievers, they will screw it up real good.
Too many chiefs, not enough indians. The board is stocked with people who are accustomed to making their own decisions in private, not playing well with others.
They won't hire somebody who they deem as "staff" even if it's the right choice. They feel more comfortable hiring somebody like them after a "national" search to hire some PPL or Air Products retread that's bored in retirement.
It won't work. Those types of people are used to getting things done with endless resources. At LVEDC, you're nearly broke. You've got little staff, and you've got scrutiny you haven't dealt with before.
So the retread gives up, content with sailing along, until something better comes around. The organization doesn't move backwards, but it doesn't move forward either.
Don't be surprised when the choice is less than inspiring.
Those who write against Phil forget the condition of the LVEDC prior to his hire. The turmoil was unbelievable. Phil brought a level of professionalism to the group and made accreditation his goal Today LVEDC is better than before. Just the facts.
I've worked with Pete Reinke before.
Long before he went to LVEDC.
He is hardworking and honest. You can do a deal on a handshake and know he will uphold his end of the bargain.
However, this is a political position and those positions are not typically filled with the most qualified people. I hope I'm wrong.
I nominate Steve Barron, one of the top financial gurus in the valley.
Joyce Marin is a shoe-in. Don Bernhard loves her; the Mayor loves her; Cunningham has a high opinion of her (Don just got married after all) and she is in need of a job as her ASD grant is but a one-year gig.
Joyce did so much for the city of Allentown and then, along with her hubby, had a spectacular success with the $250,000 rail study.
She has all the credentials and political ties essential to such an appointment. How can she miss?
Your right, I forgot about Lady Reds. She came back from Spain jobless, then former Rendell lackey Superintendent of Allenown Schools gave her some bullshit curricuoum job. This is a financially distressed District laying off teachers but they "needed" her.
You are right, she is a "natural". I mean look at Toni Iannelli. A former waiter and janitor now a rolly polly business cheerleader.
In the crucible of the New Lehigh Valley we have established a privledged class that suckle off of others.
what about Steve Melnick? He's got over 40 years of experience and doesn't take crap from anyone.
let's give it to hanna - ass kisser and do nothing lackey extraordinaire and a natural fit for this position. both jc and dc will get giddy as he is the chubby not so little handmaiden to both of them. give him a position and watch him do nothing but serve his masters.
Um, Tony Hanna is basically retired. He does not need this kind of shot.
Some one should tell the taxpayers if he is basically retired as he is head of the Bethlehem Redevelopment Authority and making a nice piece of coin.
Understood, but compared to what he was doing, he is retired. I don't think anonymous personal attacks at this man are necessary. They prove no point and only diminish all of us.
Bernie,
I appreciate your comments. I think what you were trying to say is that I had retired from my position as Director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Bethlehem and essentially not as active in the Economic Development area as I once was.
That being said, I am currently Executive Director of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Bethlehem, a position I took after my retirement from the City. While I am still involved with Economic Development activities in the City, they are primarily focused on the Bethlehem Works site and in particular the SteelStacks campus and adjacent areas.
As for Isaac Touro - the anonymous coward who chose to attack me for no good reason - I find it ironic that he chose the name of a well respected Portuguese Sephardic Jewish Rabbi from the 18th Century to launch his attacks. He not only impugns my integrity but the Rabbi's as well by hiding behind his good name.
He is entitled to his opinions about me, my weight, and my record as a public official. It's distressing that he chooses to hide his identity when he does so.
This started as a posting about the resignation of Phil Mitman as President of LVEDC. How it ended up as an opportunity for "Isaac Touro" to anonymously and cowardly attack me, is disturbing, particularly since the anonymous poster is obviously erudite enough to know who Isaac Touro is.
He may know Isaac Touro, but he doesn't really know me nor I him. Best we keep it that way, I suppose.
Tony Hanna
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