“Think about electricity — we just turn it off and on. Broadband should be the same way.”

That’s what Heartland Forward’s Executive Vice President Angie Cooper told Telecompetitor in an interview last week. Heartland Forward describes itself as a “think and do tank” focused on 20 states it defines as the heartland: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Cooper says Heartland Forward was formed with one question in mind: “How do we change the narrative about the middle of the country and promote economic growth?” The result is a four-pillar focus: (1) Innovation and Entrepreneurship, (2) Human Capital and Workforce Development, (3) Health and Wellness, and (4) Regional Economic Competitiveness.