The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Commissioners laud former LDA leader
David Anderson announced retirement from group last month
Former Lake Development Authority Executive Director David Anderson was met with praise in Painesville recently as the Lake County commissioners and other officials congratulated him on his tenure with the organization.
Anderson, who started with the LDA in 2020, announced his retirement late last month.
Commissioner John Plecnik said the group has been fortunate to have such a talented and dedicated public servant at its helm.
“David Anderson’s leadership has been instrumental in positioning the organization as a key player in the region’s economic development,” he added. “We look forward to building on Dave’s great legacy as we move forward.”
During Anderson’s tenure, he oversaw the development of the North Park Sediment Recycling Facility in Painesville Township, which accepts and recycles dredge material from Fairport Harbor.
He also negotiated an easement allowing Lake Metroparks to move forward with its Lakefront Path project, oversaw six projects that received JobsOhio funding and created 181 jobs in the county.
A lifelong resident of Lake County, Anderson graduated from Willoughby South High School in 1970 and attended Cleveland State University.
In 1991, he was elected mayor of Willoughby, a role he held for 26 years.
Active in numerous civic and governmental entities focused on strategic planning, fiscal management and economic development, he has served on the boards of Leadership Lake County, United Way of Lake County, the Lakeland Foundation, and the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council.
“I have had the privilege of working closely with Dave and have witnessed his commitment to improving our port facilities and operations,” said Commissioner John Hamercheck. “His retirement is well-deserved, and we are grateful for his years of service to the LDA.”
Additionally, Anderson has served as board president of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency and as chairman of the Lake County Narcotics Agency.
“It’s been an honor and a pleasure, for the last three and a half years, working with all of you, individually and together, and much of it has been an extension of my time in Willoughby,” he said, addressing the board and his colleagues.
“The biggest job is hiring the right people — I take that to heart and I’ve been lucky (at LDA) because many of these folks were here and they do such a marvelous job,” Anderson added. “The success of this agency has, 95 percent, been because of the people. I feel really good about where the LDA is and I thank you for the opportunity.”
Reflecting on his tenure as the mayor of Willowick, Commissioner Richard Regovich noted that he has learned a lot from Anderson.
“I started in 2016 and Dave was finishing up during that brief overlap, but in that little time, we worked together a lot on various things,” Regovich said. “And Lake County has been so privileged for all the time and effort he has put into the LDA.
“We wish him well in his retirement and send best wishes as he begins his travels with his wife, Donna.”
The Lake Development Authority, created in 2007, is a port authority under Ohio law, which enables the body to offer a variety of economic development tools to assist in projects to create employment opportunities to improve the economic welfare of Lake County.
Additionally, port authorities work to acquire, lease and improve real property, and issue taxable and tax-exempt bonds.