The summit is the signature event of Heartland Forward in Bentonville. Heartland Forward formally launched in the fall of 2019 — one year after the Heartland Summit’s first iteration — and is spearheaded by members of the Walton family and led by former Walton Fellow and Milken Institute Chief Research Officer Ross DeVol. It is the first U.S. think tank focused exclusively on the economic situation of the Heartland region.
Organizers say their goal is to promote action by convening people playing a role in the success stories of thriving areas of America’s heartland. Tom Walton, a grandson of Walmart founder Sam Walton and member of the Walton Family Foundation board of directors, said he hopes attendees have multiple takeaways this week. Read MORE.