Back on October 10, 2001 Steve Mudre of Anna Point Marina submitted an application to the Virginia State Corporation Commission to form a group with the name of Lake Anna Economic Development Partnership.
“I became involved out of the simple desire to bring more business and tourism to the lake and hopefully business development would follow. Collective marketing efforts from businesses was a proven way to do that,” the 65-year old realtor and Lake Anna visionary told Life & Times recently.
Initial board members besides Mudre included realtor Olivia Ryan, builder Linda Martunessen and Lake Anna Life & Times publisher C.C. McCotter. It was agreed the purpose of the group was to increase economic development around the lake and promote tourism.
In the ensuing months and years, the group grew to over 100 members, began holding popular monthly Business After Hours networking events at dif-ferent venues around the lake, spent thousands of dollars marketing the lake, created brochures and placed them in Virginia Welcome Centers, placed two Lake Anna Information Centers at the lake, held annual events like Lakefest in the spring, Laketoberfest in the fall, started the Lake Anna Sunset Concert Series, the Lake Anna Lighted Boat Parade, the Lake Anna Love Concerts & Marketplaces and held a 50 Years of Lake Anna Love 50th anniversary of Lake Anna celebration last month.
The 50th anniversary celebration was held August 20 at Lake Anna Taphouse. The event also served as a fundraiser for a new ambulance for New Bridge Fire & Rescue, generating over $3,000 for the cause using local “celebrity” bartenders.
As the 20-year anniversary of the Lake Anna Business Partnership approaches the group has grown to over 160 members – both social members and business members and is still holding popular monthly Business After Hours.
“We’ve pivoted from hosting concerts and events for the most part as our business community is doing a fine job with that,” noted 2022 President C.C. McCotter, “Instead we try to help market and promote events in collaboration with our members at their locations, and we are still laser-focused on serving our members and marketing Lake Anna as a great place to work, play and live using a variety of methods.”
This year’s Business After Hours and Lake Anna Love events are held all around the lake at member venues including Callie Opie’s, Coyote Hole, Lake Anna Taphouse, The Cove at LKA, Vito’s On The Lake, Tim’s at Lake Anna, Hotel Lake Anna, Lake Anna Winery, Tavern on the Rail and Dominion Energy’s North Anna Information Center.
Plans to commemorate the 20th anniversary of LABP will culminate in a special Business After Hours in September with a mailed invitation, commemorative member gift and a presentation recognizing the group’s past LABP presidents and leaders including Mudre, Waymon Bishop, Dick Dickens, Jeff Heidig, Jeff Martin, Mark Smith, McCotter, Gene Newman, Dave Moberly, Ron Gentry, Barbara Bishop, Jean Martin and others..
“The Lake Anna Business Partnership taught us all how to work together competitively,” noted realtor Olivia Ryan at a recent Business After Hours, recalling a time when the group first brought many of the lake’s realtors to-gether to work toward shared goals of marketing the lake lifestyle.
The group has a number of realtors as members as well as builders, contractors, information service providers, marketers, retailers and restauranteurs. Recently, the LABP website (www.visitlakeanna.org) was totally redone by Dorazio Communications and all members are listed in the site directory.
In 2022 LABP also designed and purchased billboard space just off Interstate 95 welcoming visitors to the lake and encouraging them to visit the website to find out more ways to mark the lake’s 50 anniversary.
The upcoming Lighted Boat Parade on December 3 will be the fourth year of this popular event at the lake organized by LABP. Residents and visitors are drawn to the lake to view a regatta of decorated boats that depart from Tim’s and The Cove and end up at Lake Anna Taphouse.
For 2023, the group will hold a Lake Anna Business Fair in May to help lake area businesses better connect with seasonal employees. Another online Lake Anna Summit is in the works as well as offering a series of Small Business Seminars and New Member Luncheons.
The group’s annual Person’s Of The Year recognitions take place in January and include Business Person of the Year, New Business of the Year, the LABP Legacy Award, the Young Entreprenuer of the Year and the Richard Binns Community Service Award.
“If you are a business owner looking to network within a dynamic, connected group of your peers or a resident just interested in meeting year-rounders and be more involved in the community, I would encourage you to join LABP at visitlakeanna.org,” said McCotter.
