Laith Wardi

Laith Wardi is President and Founder of ExecutivePulse, Inc., an Erie-based company that provides CRM and related technology solutions. Since 2000, this Erie-based company has provided CRM and related technology solutions to economic development, government and allied professionals throughout the United States and Canada. Prior to this, he worked in local and regional economic development in Northwest Pennsylvania. In 2002, Laith received his economic development certification through The International Economic Development Council (IEDC). IEDC is the industry’s largest sanctioning and membership organization. He is among roughly 1,100 economic developers across the globe with the CEcD designation.

Aside from obtaining his certification through IEDC, Laith is also a long-time instructor for that organization. Since 1996, he has trained roughly 10,000 economic development professionals on best practices business retention & expansion strategies, tools, and tactics. Laith also conducts on-line and in person certification training for the industry’s other main governing body, Oklahoma University’s Economic Development Institute (OUEDI). He has been a regular instructor for OUEDI for since 2016.

Laith is a frequent speaker and presenter to economic development and allied audiences throughout the US and Canada. He has done limited speaking and training engagements in Europe and Mexico as well. He routinely conducts state-level certification training for clients such as Alabama, Alberta, Arkansas, British Columbia, Ohio, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee—among others. In addition to more mainstay economic development content, Laith has done speaking and training sessions on globalization, talent/workforce, resiliency, and digitalization/technology assimilation topics.

In addition to ECRDA, Laith serves on the Tom Ridge Environmental Center (TREC) board and is Vice Chair of Erie County’s Emerge 2040 Steering Committee.

Laith resides in Millcreek Township with his wife, Carla Orlando, DMD. They have two children, Alex (Durham, NC) and Lydia (Pittsburgh, PA).