The new Board President of the Washington Business Improvement District toasts the Borough’s business community and wants to make it even more successful.  

Dave Andersen, owner of Buttzville Brewing in Downtown Washington, was elected President of the WBID Board of Directors at the organization’s January meeting.

The Board also picked Dan Rossi of Get A Grip & More as First Vice President, and Sean Spender of The Laughing Goat and Cuckling Cow, as Second VP.

Re-elected to the Executive Board were Jeff Smith of Smith Tractor, Treasurer, and Secretary, Community Representative Bob Valinski.

Buttzville Brewing opened up in July 2021 and has been a huge boon to the Downtown District. 

“This is my hometown,” said Andersen. “I grew up here and saw the potential to help build a community and also help this town grow. I saw what other breweries have done in other towns, such as Hackettstown and Flemington, and how much impact it has had for them.”

The Board unanimously chose Andersen to the lead the organization forward and to build upon its success over the years. 

“I feel very honored to be chosen,” he said. “I really want to work with everyone, listen to everyone’s ideas and help lead and support the BID to the best of my ability. It not only helps our businesses as a whole., but it also helps the town grow and be something special.”

Andersen is excited about the WBID’s successes so far, which includes numerous annual events that attract thousands of people to Washington every year, while also acknowledging that there is still work to be done.

“I think that we have a tight knit community of some business owners that truly support and help each other out, but there is still a lot of room for improvement,” he said. “We cannot do this by ourselves. We need as much support as possible, and it starts with businesses helping each other. Owning a brewery I am part of the NW NJ Brewing community and we constantly do ingredient swaps, purchases, borrow equipment and tools and also will help one another when any of us are in need. We truly are one big family, and I feel that our business community can become that overtime.”

Andersen has three main goals as President this year, including increased involvement from volunteers and board members: 1. Increasing volunteerism (community volunteers and board members); 2. Identifying board member roles and making sure that we are all engaged and are contributing to the overall goal of supporting the BID but also help grow this town; and 3. Identify what this town truly needs to succeed and grow and get residents to buy in to support their local businesses more.

“I am hopeful that we can start to head in an even better direction than we already are and truly have the board be a team that will help and support the BID through actions and not just ideas,” he said. “I am looking forward to this challenge of being the President!”

For more information about the Washington Business Improvement District and its many programs and events, visit www.washingtonbid.org.