Frederick's Bert Anderson Named MEDA Volunteer of the Year

Bert Anderson, owner of Everedy Square and Shab Row, was named the "2016 Volunteer of the Year" by the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA). He was recognized for his more than three decades of service to both Frederick City and County. MEDA Awards celebrate the people, projects and programs bringing economic vitality to Maryland. Anderson was honored at an award ceremony on May 2 during the 2016 MEDA Annual Conference at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay in Cambridge, Maryland.
 

Anderson has been serving in leadership roles for over 35 years in Frederick County, and is still an active leader today. He has served with six different economic development organizations or commissions over the decades, and has been on numerous boards. He is a founding member of the Greater Frederick Development Corporation, the organization that later became the Downtown Frederick Partnership that implements the Main Street Program for community revitalization.

"Bert Anderson has been at the forefront of progressive redevelopment and has given his time and talent for the benefit of the community for many years," said Richard Griffin, Director of Economic Development for The City of Frederick. 

MEDA 2016 Volunteer of the Year
Bert Anderson with Richard Griffin

Before "adaptive reuse" was a trend, Anderson was acquiring underutilized buildings for renovation and reuse in Downtown Frederick. He bought buildings, including houses, warehouses and factories, and transformed City blocks into dining and shopping destinations for visitors and residents.

2016 marks the 40th Anniversary of Anderson’s Shab Row redevelopment project and the devastating Great Frederick Flood of 1976, which inspired today’s Carroll Creek Park and flood control project. In 2016, Frederick will commemorate the 40 year anniversary of the flood, the transformation of Everedy Square and Shab Row, and the rebirth of Downtown Frederick. These events are interconnected, and Anderson’s leadership role was fundamental in the revitalization of Downtown Frederick.

"As we celebrate the 40^th Anniversary of his accomplishments, there is no better time to recognize Bert Anderson’s four decades of vision, service, and investment in Frederick and Maryland," said Griffin. 

Anderson was nominated jointly by the City and County economic development offices for his contributions. Anderson has served as a founding member of the Greater Frederick Development Corporation, which is now the Downtown Frederick Partnership. He currently serves on the City’s Economic Development Advisory Committee.