About

About the Middlesex County EDA

The Middlesex County Economic Development Authority works to encourage business growth, support local industry, and strengthen Middlesex County’s economy through business support, strategic initiatives, and community partnerships.

What is the Middlesex County EDA?

The Middlesex County Economic Development Authority is an independent authority appointed by the Middlesex County Board of Supervisors to help guide and support economic development efforts across the County.

The EDA works alongside businesses, community organizations, regional partners, and local leadership to help identify opportunities, support key industries, and encourage long-term economic vitality in Middlesex County.

Our board is made up of local business owners, industry professionals, and community leaders committed to supporting the future of Middlesex County.

What We Do

Five Areas of Focus

The EDA’s work is organized around several key focus areas that guide ongoing projects, partnerships, and initiatives throughout Middlesex County.

01

Business & Community Development

Helping entrepreneurs launch, existing businesses grow, and the broader business community stay connected through outreach, communication, resources, and economic development initiatives.

Supporting New Business Launches

Creating tools, guidance, and resources to help entrepreneurs start and grow businesses in Middlesex County.

Listing & Promoting Local Businesses

Expanding visibility for local businesses through the development of an online directory.

Curating Local, State & Federal Resources

Connecting businesses with funding opportunities, workforce resources, marketing tools, and support programs.

Improving Communications with Local Businesses

Creating better ways to share updates, opportunities, and resources with Middlesex County’s business community.

02

Tourism Promotion

Maintaining and growing Middlesex County’s tourism economy through destination marketing, regional partnerships, and initiatives that highlight life on the water, rural landscapes, local history, small towns, community traditions, and the experiences that make Middlesex County unique.

Operating & Expanding the Explore Middlesex Brand

Promoting Middlesex County’s destinations, businesses, and experiences through coordinated tourism marketing efforts.

Regional & State Tourism Partnerships

Collaborating with Virginia’s River Realm and Virginia Tourism Corporation to expand tourism visibility.

Improving Boating Tourism & Public Water Access

Enhancing boating access, waterfront experiences, and marine tourism opportunities throughout the County.

Supporting Tourism Awareness & Collaboration

Helping local businesses better engage with tourism opportunities, seasonal trends, and regional marketing efforts.

Learn More About Tourism Marketing →

03

Workforce Development

Addressing workforce challenges by identifying local hiring and training needs, building regional partnerships, and advocating for programs aligned with Middlesex County’s economy and employers.

Developing a Comprehensive County Job Board

Improving connections between local businesses, job seekers, and employment opportunities across Middlesex County.

Building Workforce & Training Partnerships

Collaborating with partners like Rappahannock Community College and others to strengthen workforce development efforts.

Identifying & Advocating for Workforce Needs

Advocating for the housing, healthcare, and quality-of-life needs that support a strong and sustainable workforce in Middlesex County.

Learn More About Workforce Development Resources →

04

Business Sites & Infrastructure Planning

Identifying and advancing the sites, waterfront access, and infrastructure needed to support future business growth, investment, and the county’s economy.

Building a Strategic Sites & Properties Inventory

Developing a more comprehensive inventory of commercial, industrial, waterfront, and investment-ready properties throughout Middlesex County.

Waterfront Access & Marine Infrastructure

Supporting projects and infrastructure that strengthen Middlesex County’s waterfront economy, commercial working waterfronts, marine industry, and public access to the water.

Supporting Long-Term Infrastructure Planning

Advocating for infrastructure improvements that support business growth, connectivity, and future economic development opportunities.

05

Strengthening Local Industries

Highlighting and advancing the industries that help define Middlesex County’s economy, workforce, and community identity.

Marine & Boating Industry

Supporting the businesses, services, and infrastructure that help power Middlesex County’s marine economy.

Seafood & Aquaculture

Promoting and supporting the working waterfront, seafood heritage, and aquaculture industries that shape the County’s identity.

Agriculture & Agribusiness

Highlighting agricultural businesses and supporting the long-term sustainability of Middlesex County’s rural economy.

Explore

The Full Strategic Plan

The Middlesex County EDA’s Strategic Plan outlines the long-term goals, priorities, and initiatives guiding economic development efforts throughout the County

View the Strategic Plan →

Who We Are

Board & Staff

The Middlesex County EDA is guided by a board of local business leaders, professionals, and community members appointed by the Middlesex County Board of Supervisors. Together with EDA staff, they help support economic development efforts and strategic initiatives throughout Middlesex County.

Board of Directors

John Anzivino | Chairman - MIddlesex EDA

John Anzivino

Chairman

  • (804) 381-8455
  • janzivino5269@gmail.com

Read Bio →

James M Reed | Vice Chairman - MIddlesex EDA

James (Michael) Reed

Vice Chairman

  • (804) 758-1249
  • ljjr1820@yahoo.com
Joe Heyman | Treasurer - Middlesex EDA

Joe Heyman

Treasurer

  • (804) 815-8627
  • allengroupeda@gmail.com

Read Bio →

Anton Webre | Secretary - Middlesex EDA

Anton Webre

Secretary

  • (917) 239-0628
  • anton@nortonyachts.com

Hallie Jean Holmes

Member

  • (804) 854-5906
  • hallieholmes2@outlook.com

Read Bio →

Jerry Crittenden | Middlesex EDA

Gerald Crittenden

Member

  • (804) 241-5630
  • emiinc.jc@gmail.com

Read Bio →

Doug McMinn | Middlesex EDA

Doug McMinn

Member

  • (804) 314-1085
  • doug@bayoyster.com

Read Bio →

Staff

Executive Director

Trenton Funkhouser

Office Manager

Kelsey Briggs

Partnerships

State, Regional & Community Partnerships

Economic development is a collaborative effort. The EDA works with local, regional, and state partners to advance business growth, tourism, workforce initiatives, infrastructure planning, and long-term investment throughout Middlesex County.

Middlesex County Board of Supervisors

Middlesex County Water Authority

Middlesex County Broadband Authority

Virginia Initiative for Growth and Opportunity

Virginia Economic Development Partnership

Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission

Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board

Rappahannock Community College

Virginia Tourism Corporation

Virginia's River Realm

Public Meetings

The EDA Board meets monthly — and you're welcome.

The Middlesex County Economic Development Authority Board meets the second Monday of each month at 6:00 PM in the Boardroom of the Historic Court at 865 General Puller Highway, Saluda. Public welcome.

October
12
2026

Upcoming Meeting

Regular EDA Meeting

6:00PM · Boardroom of the Historic Courthouse · 865 General Puller Highway, Saluda, VA 23149

Join the Middlesex County Economic Development Authority for our regular monthly meeting as we discuss current initiatives, economic development efforts, local business updates, and ongoing projects throughout Middlesex County. Public attendance is welcome.

Get in Touch

Connect with the EDA.

Have questions or looking for guidance? We’re here to help connect you with resources, opportunities, and the next steps for doing business in Middlesex County.

Contact the EDA →

GET TO KNOW

John Anzivino

John Anzivino brings decades of experience in economic development, local government administration, and public-sector leadership to the Middlesex County Economic Development Authority, where he has served as a board member since 2018 and Chairman since 2020.

Originally from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, John earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Concord University and a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Urban and Regional Administration from the University of Georgia. John and his wife, Kristi, purchased property in Urbanna in 2008 before becoming full-time Middlesex County residents in 2016.

Throughout his career, John has held leadership positions in planning, economic development, and local government across the Mid-Atlantic region. His experience includes serving as Planning Director and Deputy Director for the Eastern Panhandle Planning District Council in West Virginia, State Planning Director for the Governor’s Office of West Virginia, County Administrator in both Amelia and Caroline Counties, and Town Manager for the Town of Warrenton, Virginia. He also served as Senior Vice President and Mid-Atlantic Group Director for a national consulting firm specializing in public-sector management, organizational development, budgeting, and economic development.

Even in retirement, John has continued serving communities throughout Virginia in interim leadership roles, including Interim Town Manager, Interim County Administrator, and Interim Executive Director for several localities and economic development organizations. He currently serves as Chairman of GO Virginia Region 6 and is also a member of the Town of Urbanna Board of Zoning Appeals.

John joined the Middlesex County EDA to help support future generations by expanding economic opportunities throughout the County. He believes economic development in Middlesex should remain balanced — building upon the County’s rural character, waterways, working waterfronts, agriculture, forestry, and tourism economy while creating sustainable opportunities for residents to live and work close to home.

GET TO KNOW

Doug McMinn

Doug McMinn was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, and graduated from Brigham Young University in 1996 with a degree in microbiology. A lifelong love for the Chesapeake Bay and strong family ties to the region led Doug to become a full-time resident of Middlesex County in 1997.

From 1997 to 2000, Doug served as the Marine Science Director at Christchurch Episcopal School. He married his wife, Karen, in 1998, and the couple later moved to St. Croix, USVI, where they worked at Good Hope School before returning home to Middlesex County in 2001.

In 2002, Doug started a small oyster farm on the Rappahannock River. He expanded those operations in 2003 by founding Chesapeake Bay Oyster Company, which farm-raises oysters and develops and distributes commercial shellfish farming equipment. Doug is also a founding member and current board member of the Shellfish Growers of Virginia, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Virginia’s shellfish farming industry, and serves on the State Aquaculture Advisory Committee.

Doug and Karen live in Wake, Virginia and have three children, all graduates of Middlesex County High School.

As a member of the Middlesex County Economic Development Authority, Doug is passionate about supporting long-term economic stability while increasing public access to the waterways that help define Middlesex County.

GET TO KNOW

Hallie Jean Holmes

Hallie J. Holmes is a lifelong resident of Middlesex County and currently serves on the Middlesex County Economic Development Authority. Following her retirement in 2010 from the Middle Peninsula Regional Security Center, Hallie committed herself to volunteering and serving the Middlesex community in any capacity she could.

Hallie attended Rappahannock Community College in Glenns, Virginia, where she studied subjects including psychology, chemistry, biology, algebra, and constitutional law. Over the years, she has worked a variety of jobs throughout Middlesex, Essex, Richmond, and Gloucester, giving her a broad understanding of the region and its communities.

As the daughter of a former waterman who worked as both a menhaden fisherman and oysterman before later serving as Sheriff, Hallie has deep roots in Middlesex County’s maritime heritage and working waterfront culture. Her travels throughout Virginia and across the country have also given her a strong appreciation for tourism, local identity, and community development — though she says Middlesex has always felt like home.

Hallie enjoys genealogy and local history research, baking pound cakes for family and friends, and continuing to learn through community leadership opportunities, including recent board leadership training through the River Counties Community Foundation.

GET TO KNOW

Joe Heyman

Joe Heyman is the President of The Allen Group Inc. and has been a business owner and community leader in Middlesex County since moving to the area in 1989. Shortly after relocating, Joe started his construction business and has since built experience across several industries including construction, hospitality, marina operations, commercial leasing, and small business development.

Throughout his career, Joe has remained deeply involved in the Middlesex community, serving on numerous local boards and organizations including the YMCA, the Urbanna Oyster Festival, and the Middlesex Sports Complex. He also previously served on the Urbanna Town Council and has spent many years coaching local youth sports programs.

Joe joined the Middlesex County Economic Development Authority to help support existing businesses while encouraging new economic opportunities throughout the County. To him, economic development means creating an environment where small businesses can succeed and where future generations have opportunities to live, work, and invest locally.

One area Joe is especially excited about is expanding recreation and boating access throughout Middlesex County and continuing to strengthen the County’s connection to the water. Outside of work and community service, he enjoys sailing and spending time with his family, including his grandchildren.

GET TO KNOW

Gerald "Jerry" Crittenden

Gerald “Jerry” F. Crittenden is a lifelong resident of Middlesex County and a fifth-generation member of the Deltaville community. A graduate of Middlesex County Public Schools, Jerry earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Radford University in 1988.

Throughout his career, Jerry has worked across several industries including farming, education, coaching, agricultural supply sales, and contracting. He is the owner of GFC Contracting LLC and part owner of T.H. Crittenden & Son (Riverdale Farm), a third-generation family farming operation in Middlesex County.

Deeply involved in the local community, Jerry has served for more than 30 years as a Little League baseball coach and has managed the Deltaville Deltas baseball team for over four decades. He is also a founding board member of the Wilton Hunt Club and serves on the boards of the Middlesex County Farm Bureau, the Deltaville Community Association, and the Middlesex County Economic Development Authority.

Jerry and his wife, Martha Fleet Crittenden, have three children and two grandchildren, all of whom reside in Middlesex County. In his free time, he enjoys baseball, hunting, and fishing.