Heartland Goes to the White House

On April 4, 2023, Tom Croft, SVA Executive Director and Heartland Capital Network (HCS) Managing Director, was honored to join Biden-Harris Administration officials and other federal partners at the White House to celebrate 2 years of work by Energy Communities Interagency Working Group (IWG), supporting economic transition in America's energy communities.

The event included a stellar cast of Administration leaders, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm, White House officials John Podesta and Ali Veri, and others. Joining us, an all-star cast of national and regional advocates who have fought for decades to bring back blue-collar communities that have been left behind. We discussed the barriers and challenges that energy communities are facing as they look to take advantage of the enormous opportunities provided by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill (BIL). Regional partners pushing from below included unions, environmental leaders, investors, developers, utilities, civil society, and government to make sure that the transition to a clean economy truly lifts all boats.

Tom told the story, as part of an investment panel, about the Heartland Capital Network, a national network of responsible pension consultants, asset managers, unions, and policy leaders advising on or managing $1.5 trillion in assets. Heartland was established in 1995 by the Steelworkers, SVA, and AFL-CIO to reclaim labor’s capital—our money—and to rebuild America. Through our economically targeted investments (or, ETIs) and our many books on workers’ pensions, Heartland is an aviator in responsible investing. Our investment partners have saved or created 100s of thousands of high-road jobs; built ½ million+ housing units; invested in $4-5 billion in infrastructure; re-tooled and re-shored critical manufacturing.

Three years ago, Mayor Bill Peduto, Pittsburgh’s former mayor, asked Tom to help with the launch by the Marshall Plan for Middle America (MP4MA), which brought together nine mayors in a four-state region. Working together with Reimagine Appalachia (RA), Heartland stood up an "Appalachian Sustainable Finance Hub" to marshal responsible investors, tools, and procurement solutions for a range of clean economy projects in Middle America/Upper Appalachia.

We are re-convening the Hub in Cincinnati on June 14 as part of the Milken 10,000 Communities road show, and hope to see many of you there. Look for details in future Expressos!