If you’ve ever tried to stream a movie, work from home, or help your kids with homework in a rural area, you know the frustration of slow internet all too well. That’s changing in Southern Illinois thanks to Protek Fiber, a local company that decided to take matters into its own hands, and found the right partner in Farmers State Bank to make it happen. In this episode, we’re sitting down with Protek co-owners Cam McCurdy and Josh Watson, along with Chris Healy, President of Guaranteed Lending at Farmers State Bank, to talk about the $20 million financing package that’s helping expand high-speed broadband across our region. From climbing homemade towers to securing USDA-backed funding, this conversation is all about what can happen when local innovators and local lenders team up to bridge the digital divide and build a stronger Southern Illinois. https://www.myfsb.com/about-us/isnt-that-rich-podcast/index.html