Meet the Founder

Cynthia Frisina

Founder/Chief Executive Officer

Born and raised in Taylorville, Illinois, Cynthia (Cindy) brings the heart of small town community values and over thirty-five years of developing partnerships for global brands and nonprofit foundations managing more than $900 million in resources. Cindy is a purpose-driven entrepreneur, mother of two, with four generations of family farming roots in the Midwest. She founded Heartland Development Partners with a passion for improving rural communities - bringing innovative leadership, resources and transformative business experience to every project.

Cindy is a recognized social impact and business pioneer, named a Champion of Change by the White House Office of the President of the United States, honored by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee for her work.

A graduate of both University of Illinois (BA) and Northwestern University (MA), Cindy has been involved in many nonprofit organizations and advisory councils including the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, National Charity League, University of Illinois Alumni Foundation, the Illinois Farm Bureau and Main Street America

Partners & Advisors

Experienced Collaboration

For every revitalization initiative:

Heartland develops community partnerships with local business owners, contractors, vendors, and municipal leaders collaborating with experienced economic development advisors, proven entrepreneurs and operators to create successful projects.

Public Private Partnerships

What will it take to expand the socio-economic models in Taylorville? Seeding and institutionalizing an outcomes-focused mindset at all levels of government, among community leadership and new implementation and delivery partners, and within nonprofit service providers is the first step.

This will require risk-taking, the willingness to rethink traditional models, and the agility to go big. It will also necessitate capacity building of all stakeholders to engage in this new way of working.

Now more than ever, as the world is building back after the COVID-19 crisis, we will need strong

partnerships that support public purpose in a cost-effective and impactful way. Impact bonds, outcome oriented funding mechanisms, and other partnerships for public purpose (new PPPs) have the potential to strengthen social service delivery and, in essence, reimagine the future of Taylorville.

Non-Profit Funding Alliances

RevitalizeRuralAmerica.org A brand new 501c3 Non-profit Organization focused on County Seats across America is launching with a spotlight on Taylorville as its first initiative. Seeking build cultural education and community involvement. Plans are in development to drive the funding alternatives for a Christian County Auditorium and Community Activities Center in Taylorville. Heartland is affiliated with Revitalize Rural America and will be posting updates soon!

NonProfit Advisor:

Gary Shaw

Gary is retiring from his role as Senior Vice President/Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley. He has more than five decades of industry experience. He was named a President’s Club member while at Dean

Witter Reynolds (now Morgan Stanley) and earned membership on the Director’s Advisory Council at

E.F. Hutton (now part of Morgan Stanley).

He was named Youth in Need’s Man of the Year in 1988, Dean Witter Reynolds’ Broker of the Year in

1991, and Boys & Girls Club Man of the Year in 1996, and received the St. Charles Chamber of

Commerce Lifetime Distinguished Service Award in 2002. His alma mater, Iowa Wesleyan University,

awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Laws in 1993.

Gary believes in giving back to the community and serves on several not-for-profit boards including:

Missouri Kids, Foundry Art Centre, Lindenwood University, Endowment for United Services, and Iowa Wesleyan University. Shaw and his wife, Joyce, have 6 children and 14 grand-children.

Special Projects

We plan to partner with proven entreprenuers with community roots that have specialized products or services to drive future marketing and promotional opportunities to our projects.