2009 KME “Made In Loudoun” Award Winners

Back in January of this year, DullesSouthOnline.com and KME announced a “Loudoun Business Challenge – Help Stimulate Loudoun’s Economy in 2009.”

Why? Because, as DullesSouthOnline.com stated so eloquently, Fairfax County and neighboring counties through the DC metro area are “eating our [Loudoun's] lunch in their ability to attract business investment via the Internet.”

Ain’t that the truth! If you know anything about the Loudoun EDC and Chamber of Commerce, you know that their on-line presence is dismal to almost non-existent. Hence, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority and those of other counties are not only eating our lunch…they’re eating our breakfast, dinner and midnight snack.

So here we are a year later and the 2009 KME “Made in Loudoun” award winners have been announced. You would think that the Loudoun County Economic Development Commission would have paid attention and gotten their act together, right?

Well…(here’s an excerpt – highlights are mine)

After a year, it’s become evident that the only local industry (besides Online Marketers like us) most actively, aggressively and successfully promoting the core economic values of Loudoun County is the Residential Real Estate industry. This is probably to be expected, for by promoting Loudoun and its work/life values, real estate property is therefore more valuable.

It was, however, interesting to discover that the Loudoun business community, aside from Real Estate, simply does not actively and voluntarily help to promote Loudoun online to the outside world – rather, it relies on the local EDC and Chamber of Commerce.

…real estate agents and brokerages are most actively using the Internet and Social Media to cover and distribute Loudoun-centric hyperlocal news and information…

And, in no particular order, the winners are…(drum roll please)

• Heather Elias (Century 21 Redwood Group)
• Kelly Gaitten (Carter Braxton Real Estate)
• Marilee Murphy (Long & Foster Real Estate)
• Tony Arko (Market Advantage Real Estate)
• and, yours truly, Danilo Bogdanovic (Market Advantage Real Estate)

Though it’s flattering to be named as one of the 2009 KME “Made in Loudoun” award winners, I’m disappointed at the same time. I hoped that the Loudoun EDC and Chamber of Commerce would have done something this year to turn things around and increase their on-line presence in order attract businesses (and tax revenue) to Loudoun. Had they done so, some of us would not have been on that list (which is fine with me).

But they did not.

Is there hope for Loudoun?

There may be… Lawrence S. Rosenstrauch, Loudoun County’s EDC Director just resigned on Dec 4 and the county is on the search for a replacement. While praising Rosenstrauch’s service, Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce President Tony Howard said the county now has the opportunity to be “more competitive in the battle to attract new business investment” (via The Washington Post).

Thank you to DullesSouthOnline.com, KME Internet Marketing and all of you who read LoudounScene.com and LoudounForeclosures.com. And congratulations to my fellow winners and REALTORS!