United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley Announces 2022 Campaign Chairs
After a record-breaking 2021 campaign, the organization names two families to help raise funds to support community stability, education and healthy aging.
Allentown, PA – Vince Sorgi, president and CEO of PPL Corporation, and Ashley Russo, president and owner of ASR Media Productions, have been named United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s (UWGLV) 2022 Campaign Chairs. The two business leaders will oversee the campaign alongside their spouses, Michelle Sorgi and Joe Russo, M.D.
Mr. Sorgi and Ms. Russo have a long tenure in UWGLV service. Both have held the role of Tocqueville Cabinet Chair and in 2018, led the donor group together. Ms. Russo has also been an active board member since 2014. A dedicated partner of UWGLV, PPL has offered a dollar-for-dollar employee campaign match since 2017. In 2021, the organization’s annual campaign surpassed $5 million.
ASR Media Productions boasts 100% employee campaign participation since 2019 and their team actively volunteers with UWGLV and other nonprofit organizations throughout the year.
“Vince and Ashley have always sought ways to make a difference in our community,” said David Lewis, UWGLV president. “Along with Michelle and Joe, we look forward to this dynamic group connecting with our donors and helping to ensure United Way can continue to make a significant regional impact.”
With more than 25 years of experience in the utility industry, Mr. Sorgi oversees PPL’s high-performing, award-winning regulated utilities in the United States. Penn State University’s Alumni Association named Sorgi an Alumni Fellow — the organization’s highest award — for his outstanding leadership and performance. He also received the Da Vinci Visionary Leadership Award and the 2018 Spirit of Verrocchio Mentorship Award. Mr. and Mrs. Sorgi were honored with the Philanthropists of the Year award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Eastern PA in 2020. Sorgi serves on the board of directors for the St. Luke’s Health Network, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and Edison Electric Institute. He is a member of EPRI’s Executive Committee and is chair of EPRI’s Low-Carbon Resources Initiative Board Working Group and also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Da Vinci Science Center.
Sorgi stated, “Michelle and I are honored to co-chair this year’s campaign with the Russos following the record-breaking effort led by Laurie Hackett and Air Products in 2021. Despite the almost $20 million that was raised last year, we know that only about half the need in our community is being met, and so our goal this year is to once again raise more money than ever before to help provide the needed resources to strengthen our communities.”
A twenty-five-year media veteran, Ms. Russo is a four-time Emmy® award-winning executive producer and on-air host. The recipient of several leadership awards, she was most recently honored with the LifePath and PICPA Community Service Person of the Year award, recognized for Girl Scouts of Eastern PA’s Take the Lead, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s Community Builder, and received the Betsy Torrence Philanthropist of the Year from Women United. Along with the UWGLV, Ms. Russo sits on the boards of Children’s Home of Easton, the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Hospital Central Services, Inc.& Affiliates (HCSC). She is an active committee member, supporting the NCC Foundation, Wildlands Conservancy, Equili-brium, American Heart Association, and Women United.
“This is the first year that our United Way has four co-chairs,” stated Russo. ”Vince, Michelle, Joe, and I are dedicated to the success of this year’s campaign and will work together to help ensure a community where every person belongs and every person thrives. We are honored to serve alongside an organization making a remarkable impact on education, healthy aging, and community stability.”
United Way’s 2022 annual campaign runs through March 31, 2023.
Photo credit: United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley/Marco Calderon Photography
