Heartland Forward honors Chattanooga, two other cities as “Secret Sauce Communities”
The recognition came last Thursday during the 2025 Heartland Summit held in Bentonville, AR.
As part of last week’s 2025 Heartland Summit in Bentonville, AR, think-and-do tank Heartland Forward honored three cities—Chattanooga, Fargo, and Wichita—as “Secret Sauce Communities.” The recognition showcased each city’s innovative approaches to economic growth, community development, and cultural vitality, and highlighted the three cities’ having the right ingredients to thrive.
“Heartland Summit brings people together to engage in conversations about what it takes to advance economic growth in the heartland and turn ideas into action,” said Angie Cooper, Executive Director of the Heartland Summit and President and Chief Operating Officer at Heartland Forward. “We were honored to have Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly, Wichita Mayor Lily Wu, and Greg Tehven, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Emerging Prairie, join us on stage and share insights into their cities’ economic growth and achievements. All three cities have carved out a unique identity embracing geographic location and cultural roots—all while growing and strengthening economic growth and overall livability.”
Known as the “Gig City,” Chattanooga continues leveraging its first-of-its-kind publicly owned gig internet network to drive tech innovation and entrepreneurial growth, now becoming a hub for quantum and artificial intelligence.
“Chattanooga is proof that a mid-sized city can punch above its weight when we focus on innovation and quality of life,” said Mayor Kelly. “We were the first city in the country to roll out citywide gig-speed internet, and today that foundation supports everything from advanced manufacturing to tech startups. I’m proud of how we’ve embraced smart infrastructure, invested in our people, and remained deeply connected to the natural beauty that surrounds us, and am honored to be named a “Secret Sauce Community” for the second time.”
The three cities were also spotlighted in a YouTube video that can be found at this link.
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