Heart of America Group doesn?t just operate hotels and restaurants – it engineers, designs, builds, and operates them, all with the intent that the company will be owning them for many years and bringing value to customers and to the communities in which they reside. The Moline, Illinois-based company has grown considerably since it opened its first restaurant in 1978, The Machine Shed, a 100-seat restaurant in Davenport, Iowa, that was dedicated to the American farmer.