Community leaders come in all forms. There’s the business leader that works to perfect his or her craft or product, there’s the local politician that works to represent, there’s the community activities that supports a cause or takes action to solve a problem and so many more types. Lake Anna is blessed to have many of the above.
Ronda Guill is president of the Lake Anna Business Partnership. She took that position when her own business Midtown Printing & Design was trying to keep up with the demands of Lake Anna and the group needed leadership. Since early 2024 she has served faithfully, growing the business group and bringing on new volunteers to the board, overseeing the successful introduction of the Lake Anna Discount Card that funded the Young Leader Scholarship Fund and even taking on a new event – the Lake Anna Car Show & Festival at Pleasants Landing. She is a well-liked member of our community that has a servant’s heart.
Lonnie Carter is a man with a Lake Anna passion that has been enjoying Lake Anna for the past 25 years. A homeowner, realtor, developer and builder, Carter’s capabilities to influence the community are many and with the introduction of the On Lake Time podcast shot in his Three Cross Studio on Rt. 522, Carter is upping his game again. With interests in a number of new Divine Properties subdivisions around the lake (Hairfield property, Sienna Point, Hayden Farm), Carter should be a major player for years to come.
Kristy Cooke and her Lake Anna Real Estate & Property Management company located on Rt. 208 near Wares Crossroads is one of a very few locally owned and operated vacation home rental businesses. What makes Cooke and her staff so influential and different is the way they manage their owners’ homes and the guests that visit them. When you are overseeing dozens of rentals at Lake Anna, you are definitely influential.
The Dietrich Family, matriarch Christine and sons Frank, Jr. and Anthony are the new owners of the “Gateway”property at Wares Crossroads. What will come to this prime commercial real estate location remains to be seen, but we are betting on the Dietrichs to make it great and to make it happen. The family grew up enjoying water sports at the lake and still maintain a home here. They have a deep passion for the commuity and look forward to serving it with this new acquisition that could eventually house a grocery store, fast food restaurant, gas station/convenience store and more.
Troy and Sheila Dillard are a husband and wife team that manage Lake Anna Rescue, Inc. – an all volunteer rescue squad based in the lower lake region. The Dillards have been actively working to upgrade, expand and evolve one of the lake’s most active rescue squads. Recently, the Dillards with the help of others, reached a four-year fundraising goal that enabled them to purchase and outfit a modern rescue boat that will serve citizens on both the main lake and waste heat treatment facility or “hot side” of the lake.
Karena Edenton is one of the owners of Sturgeon Creek Marina – the lake’s oldest marina, which opened soon after Lake Anna was created. She married into the Edenton family and learned the business from her late father-in-law and late husband. The marina is celebrating 54 years in business offering service, tackle shop, boat storage, fuel sales, boat launching and the marina serves as the center of tournament fishing for the lake, attracting thousands of visitors to the lake’s great fishing all year round.
Jon and Stephanie Koren are building Roundabout Plaza near the intersection of Rts. 208 and 522. Their project will include indoor pickle ball courts, a gym, a restaurant, a bakery, a storage facility and more in an area slated for quite a bit of commercial growth in the next few years. Their influence will be felt by their tenants, their visitors and residents for years to come.
Harry Looney is a Lake Anna rockstar, involved in many volunteer leadership efforts. He serves on the Lake Anna Advisory Committee as a Louisa County representative and Environmental & Water Quality Subcommittee Chair. He’s also the long time chair of the Water Quality Committee for Lake Anna Civic Association. Looney has been a major participant in hydrilla and phosphorus management at the lake.
Lindsey McClellan is poised to become a major player in Lake Anna real estate having recently acquired her broker license (as did her partner Jimmy Snyder), McClellan has made a name for herself at the lake as an attentive and skilled realtor. As a broker she is going to attract other talented realtors like bees to honey, and we’re sure she’ll be one of our LKA Real Estate Pros for years to come.
Christopher C. McCotter first arrived at Lake Anna in 1984. Since then he’s worked non-stop to promote and represent the community he raised a family in. His credits include being a founder of the Lake Anna Civic Association, the Lake Anna Business Partnership, creating a fishing guide service that has introduced thousands to the lake, a water trail for paddlers to explore, a media platform that has introduced millions to the lake, the new Lake Anna Life & Times Online News, a gift shop that offers shopping options for residents and visitors, the registered LKA® trademark that shows community pride and was elected Louisa County Supervisor in 2024, representing a lake district. As publisher of Lake Anna Life he still loves to fish and boat, advocating for the lake and listening to others.
Barbara Aikens voluntarily inherited the job of managing Lake Anna’s buoy system in 2024, and it wasn’t in good shape when she started. The Spotsylania County representative of the Lake Anna Advisory Committee and chair of the Navigation & Safety Subcommittee discovered the lake’s hazard and bridge No Wake buoys weren’t mapped and weren’t being kept up using accurate accounting methods. Undaunted, not only did she work with Spotsylvania County staff to create a digital, online map for Lake Anna’s many permitted buoys, she also personally rehabbed many aging buoys, crafted concrete anchors for them and amassed an accurate accounting for these materials so that the job (previously staffed by volunteers) could be contracted out to professionals. Aiken’s is a tireless servant for the lake and its residents/visitors.
Terry Snyder is the person responsible for bringing a pork roll (or Taylor ham) sandwich to Lake Anna and that is reason enough to make our list this year. If you’ve not yet tried one these tasty breakfast options, stop by Elk Creek Country Store on Rt. 652.Kentucky Springs Road and do so. Terry manages this iconic Lake Anna country store and continues to offer residents and visitors a great place to fuel up, gear up and eat. She’s added a selection of Bumpass Is My Happy Place, Proud To Be Cuckoo and Lake Anna apparel, plus created Uncle Mike’s Tackle Shop for anglers in addition to offering great grab and go meals ranging from the famous Elk Creek Club to fried chicken.
Libby Sandridge is one of Lake Anna’s longest tenured realtors, a board member of the Emergency Services For Lake Anna Foundation that has raised over $700K for Station 8/New Bridge Fire & Rescue and the creator of the Lakehouse&Land recurring column for Lake Anna Life & Times. She has sold hundreds of homes at the lake over the past 30 years and been a board member of the Lake Anna Business Partership. Her influence here is deep and impactful.
Joe Walsh is part of Reef Management, the company that is transforming a good section of the lake along Rt. 652 and Rt. 208 into a world class resort and golf destination with Cutalong at Tributer Resort. Walsh’s newest project is completion of the Tributer resort clubhouse which should be ready for members and their guests by this summer. After that, Walsh and his Reef team will begin on the creation of another golf course on adjoining property along Rt. 208, this one designed by Tiger Woods himself.
Lake Anna Life thanks each of these community leaders for their standard-setting efforts and inspiration to others. Thank you for making Lake Anna a better place to live, work and play. LKA
