The East Central region of Minnesota has been named one of the Smart21 Communities of 2022 by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), a global movement that seeks to build prosperous and inclusive futures for communities. This prestigious honor recognizes the advances made by the region in recent years.

“We are thrilled to be recognized as a Smart21 Community,” said GPS President Sandy Voigt. “This honor shows the importance of collaborative efforts across the region and would not have been possible without the support of so many people and organizations across East Central Minnesota.”

The award is the culmination of a lengthy process. East Central Minnesota’s participation in the Intelligent Communities process began in 2019, when a connection through the region’s broadband advocacy efforts led the region to complete a questionnaire. Under the leadership of GPS then-President Heidi Steinmetz, Broadband Committee Chair Nancy Hoffman, and Workforce Committee Co-Chair Rebecca Perrotti, GPS convened a group that included Bill Coleman of Community Technology Advisors, through his role as a consultant to the Blandin foundation; the East Central Regional Library; East Central Minnesota Education Cable Cooperative (ECMECC); and GPS’s contracted consultants with the Northspan Group, Inc. to document the region’s assets and efforts to strengthen the region’s economic, social, and cultural foundations.

Read the full story at hometownsource.com.