State of the Rocky Mountain Region and Key Growth Markets: Meeting the Data Center Surge

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  David Dunn

  David Dunn is COO of H5 Data Centers. Mr. Dunn has nearly 15 years of experience managing significant growth and delivering outsized returns on investment in the Internet infrastructure space. Mr. Dunn most recently served as vice president at the Zayo Group where he was responsible for managing the wavelength and mobile infrastructure business units. Prior to Zayo, Mr. Dunn was senior vice president at CoreSite where he held leadership roles in mergers & acquisitions, leasing, marketing and strategy. Before joining CoreSite, Mr. Dunn held roles at several private equity firms including The Carlyle Group and J.E. Robert Companies. Mr. Dunn earned a B.S. in Finance from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

  H5 Data Centers

  COO

  David Dunn

  COO

  H5 Data Centers

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  Tara Risser

  Tara Risser is the Chief Business Officer at Cologix and is responsible for leading corporate development, analyzing key markets and trends and building new partnerships to evolve our post-customer deployments. Risser also drives market expansion and strategic partnerships, focusing on key growth areas like interconnection, AI and hybrid cloud while optimizing our asset portfolio. Additionally, Risser leads our corporate strategy for expansion into new markets. With 25 years of experience in the data center, IT, telecommunications and construction industries, she has held leadership roles in go-to-market programs, strategic planning, corporate development, integrations, customer success and transformational programs. Before Cologix, Tara spent nine years at Equinix, most recently as President of the Americas, where she was responsible for management, strategy and growth throughout North and South America. She also served as the Senior Vice President, Global Customer Care and Experience at Equinix, helping to broaden the organization’s range from reactive support to proactive engagements. Before Equinix, Tara spent over 14 years in customer-facing roles at Level 3 Communications, including leadership positions in sales effectiveness, integration, sales engineering and customer care. As a champion for diversity and inclusion, Tara is deeply engaged in efforts in the corporate world and the non-profit sector to support women’s and human rights, including serving as a board member for Shadhika, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to gender equality in India. Tara holds an M.S. in business from the University of Colorado and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire.

  Cologix

  Chief Business Officer

  Tara Risser

  Chief Business Officer

  Cologix

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  Craig Cook

  Craig Cook has extensive work experience in the technology industry. Craig currently holds the role of SVP, Solutions Architecture & Engineering at Flexential, a position they have held since May 2020. Prior to this, they served as VP, Solutions Architecture and Engineering at Flexential from January 2018 to May 2020. Before joining Flexential, Craig worked at Peak 10 + ViaWest as the VP, Solutions Architecture & Engineering from August 2017 to January 2018. Craig also held the position of VP, Client Solutions & Services at ViaWest from June 2016 to August 2017.

  Flexential

  SVP, Solutions Architecture & Engineering

  Craig Cook

  SVP, Solutions Architecture & Engineering

  Flexential

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  Shawn Ronda

  Shawn Ronda focuses his practice on commercial real estate transactions and digital infrastructure transactions. Shawn guides clients through virtually all aspects of real estate acquisitions and dispositions as well as finance, leasing, and real estate development, with an emphasis on real estate development for data center, student housing, mixed-use, and retail projects both in the Chicago area and throughout the United States. Shawn regularly represents developers, operators, institutional clients, private equity companies, investors, and joint venture partners. Shawn regularly advises clients on portfolio transactions across a wide variety of asset classes. He also advises clients with respect to the real estate related aspects of mergers and acquisitions, regularly handling the negotiation of asset purchase agreements and merger documents, as well as the implementation of related due diligence strategies and activities. Shawn is committed to serving the local community, having served on the Program Committee of ULI Chicago, and the Associate Board of the Chicago Committee for Minorities in Large Law Firms. Shawn currently serves on the Board of Directors of Family Rescue Inc., and the Development Committee of the Chicago Bar Foundation.

  Greenberg Traurig

  Shareholder

  Moderator

  Shawn Ronda

  Shareholder

  Greenberg Traurig

Redefining Data Center Operations and Cooling: Scaling for AI, Efficiency, and Resiliency

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  Mukul Anand

  Senior Director, Application Engineering

  Nortek Data Center Cooling

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  Jeff Flory

  Jeff Flory, Vice President of Operations at TA Digital Group, brings nearly 30 years of expertise as he leads the company’s execution of operational strategy. At TA Digital Group, Jeff plays a pivotal role in ensuring TA Digital Group delivers resilient, efficient, and scalable solutions to its clients. Jeff brings an extensive track record of mission-critical operational and team leadership experience spanning from the U.S. Navy’s Nuclear Power Program, power plant operations, greenfield data center startups, to hyperscale data center operations.

  TA Digital Group

  VP, Operations

  Jeff Flory

  VP, Operations

  TA Digital Group

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  Anthony Hatzenbuehler

  SVP, Data Center Operations

  CoreSite

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  Mike Penland

  As Senior Director of Operational Excellence for EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure, Mike Penland is standardizing and optimizing their Operations team's day-to-day business. His key responsibilities include enhancing training programs, refining maintenance procedures, developing robust disaster response and recovery plans, and ensuring overall data center readiness and peak performance. Prior to his current role at EdgeCore, Mike built a strong foundation in critical operations and high-stakes environments during his 12 years of service in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear power plant operator. Transitioning his expertise to the data center industry, he began his career working in critical operations roles, first at STACK Infrastructure for two years, followed by a year and a half at Comcast.

  EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure

  Sr. Director, Operational Excellence

  Mike Penland

  Sr. Director, Operational Excellence

  EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure

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  Ryan Sims

  As a Market Segment Director on Swanson Rink’s Mission Critical projects, Ryan Sims is responsible for managing the design process and coordinating with the Owner and construction team to help successfully deliver projects with no downtime to operations. Mr. Sims has a passion for the data center industry and helps work with clients to find solutions in challenging situations. He is a key team member for Swanson Rink, a Denver and Phoenix based consulting engineering firm providing design services across the US for mission critical companies.

  Swanson Rink

  Market Segment Director

  Ryan Sims

  Market Segment Director

  Swanson Rink

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  Ralph Conklin

  As Director of DVL Services for DVL Group, Ralph leads a team of sales managers, leveraging his deep expertise in critical infrastructure, particularly data center thermal management, to deliver high-value service solutions to clients. With more than 20 years of industry experience, Ralph previously held roles in Product Support, Product Management and Product Engineering at Liebert (now Vertiv), where he focused on optimizing data center efficiency and thermal performance through solutions like EC fans, fan retrofits, DSE Optimization and iCOM Controls upgrades. At DVL, Ralph now drives service portfolio growth in all DVL markets, focusing on maximizing uptime, extending equipment lifespan, improving operational efficiency, and ensuring customer satisfaction through tailored service offerings for critical environments. Ralph holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from The Ohio State University and an M.B.A. from Franklin University.

  DVL Group

  Director of DVL Services

  Moderator

  Ralph Conklin

  Director of DVL Services

  DVL Group

Fireside Chat: Prioritizing Data Center Security from the Outside In

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  Alec Kirkman

  Alec Kirkman is a Senior Industry Specialist at Amazon Web Services (AWS). He leads an Operational Excellence team within AWS Security focused on direct engagement with a global portfolio of regulators, customers, and third parties interested in the security, resiliency, and compliance of AWS services.

  Amazon Web Services (AWS)

  Senior Security Industry Specialist

  Alec Kirkman

  Senior Security Industry Specialist

  Amazon Web Services (AWS)

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  Teresa Giralt

  Teresa Giralt is the National Business Development Lead for Ameristar Perimeter Security, an ASSA ABLOY Group brand, where she focuses on securing mission-critical infrastructure with an emphasis on enterprise and colocation data centers. She works closely with general contractors, developers, and operators to deliver scalable, future-ready perimeter solutions—from early planning phases to complex retrofits. Prior to joining Ameristar, Teresa led business development and marketing efforts for Turner Construction Company in South Florida, giving her a strong foundation in large-scale construction and client strategy. Her unique blend of construction and security expertise makes her a valuable voice in conversations around data center protection.

  Ameristar Perimeter Security USA

  Business Development Specialist, Data Centers

  Moderator

  Teresa Giralt

  Business Development Specialist, Data Centers

  Ameristar Perimeter Security USA

Accelerating Development: Balancing Total Cost of Ownership and Speed to Market

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  Daniel Cheney

  Daniel is responsible for mission critical construction for new and existing Doxel customers. He and his team help clients identify use cases for Doxel’s AI solutions to reduce construction costs and accelerate progress. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and a Masters of International Business from the University of Florida. Outside of work, he enjoys surfing Ocean Beach in San Francisco and snowboarding in Lake Tahoe.

  Doxel

  VP, Mission Critical

  Daniel Cheney

  VP, Mission Critical

  Doxel

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  Brendan Foley

  VP, Procurement

  Prime Data Centers

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  Kevin Garrett

  Kevin brings over nine years of experience as a consulting structural engineer with Martin/Martin, specializing in the structural design and project management of advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and data center facilities. As a recognized subject matter expert in data center design, Kevin offers deep expertise in multi-discipline coordination, retrofits and upgrades of existing facilities, and structural support for specialty equipment. Throughout his career, Kevin has built strong partnerships with owners' representatives, contractors, and design teams, consistently delivering highly coordinated and efficient solutions. His hands-on field observation experience, combined with a proactive, collaborative approach, makes him a trusted advisor on complex projects requiring high-performance outcomes and accelerated schedules. Kevin’s work is distinguished by his ability to seamlessly integrate structural needs into the larger goals of mission-critical environments.

  Martin/Martin Consulting

  Sr. Project Engineer

  Kevin Garrett

  Sr. Project Engineer

  Martin/Martin Consulting

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  Jeff Ivey

  VP, Data Center Construction

  Crusoe

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  Hani Noshi

  Hani Noshi is a Principal Program Manager at Microsoft. Hani has 20+ years of Projects, Operations, Strategy, and Business Transformation experience. In the Operations Excellence space, Hani focused on the full life cycle of operations transformation: from target operating model design through to operations transformation delivery, change management and implementation. Hani has led projects in Oil & Gas, Resources, and Consumer Products operating groups in 4 continents and 36 countries. In consulting, Hani has provided services involving supply chain lean transformation and process excellence for several large clients. He prides himself on his ability to help clients through complex transformations. A few noteworthy examples include: Helping an Energy Supermajor organization to develop a multi-million dollar business case to streamline their Capital Projects and Engineering processes resulting in $200M in savings and a 15 times return on investment. Advising a public utility company through a full core business transformation and helping an executive team through the development of one of the most ambitious business transformation strategies in their industry resulting in an $148M in cummulative savings over 3 years. During this time Hani was also involved in innovative thought leadership where he published white paper articles in the Lean New Product Introduction and Rapid & Sustained Cost Management space. Prior to joining Accenture, Hani started his career in industry with General Electric Company in 1999, where he joined their Operations Management Leadership program. He then held various functions in hard core manufacturing, supply chain, and product development with increasing levels of responsibility. Throughout Hani’s career in GE, he was promoted throughout several GE businesses where he invented five US and European patents.

  Microsoft

  Principal Program Manager, Data Center Delivery (DCD)

  Hani Noshi

  Principal Program Manager, Data Center Delivery (DCD)

  Microsoft

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  Drew Unger

  Drew leads the commercial efforts at Polargy. He has a decade of experience providing infrastructure to the mission critical market and leading teams to achieve optimal results for the customer. Prior to joining Polargy, Drew was leading sales at DAMAC, where the majority of his time was spent in the hyperscale space creating custom tailored products. He thoroughly enjoys working within the space and is excited to watch the continued growth and new faces join as we all scale.

  Polargy

  EVP

  Drew Unger

  EVP

  Polargy

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  Christian Deputy

  Christian has over 20 years of experience in the commercial insurance brokerage industry. He has held various leadership positions including Chief Sales Officer and President. He is dedicated to helping organizations grow and build value. As a relationship-focused leader, Christian engages with people to understand their needs and builds teams capable of creatively solving problems. His extensive experience spans start-ups, non-profits, and multi-billion dollar public and private organizations. Christian has consulted numerous mergers and acquisitions. He also has vast expertise working with Digital Infrastructure and Technology companies, helping them navigate complex insurance environments and implement innovative risk management solutions.

  Lockton Companies

  President, Utah

  Moderator

  Christian Deputy

  President, Utah

  Lockton Companies

The Data Center Location Equation: Power, Connectivity and Site Selection

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  Renee Dowis

  Renee brings a people-first approach to navigating the fast-moving, high-stakes world of data centers and communications. With experience in both startup and enterprise environments, she’s known for building strong partnerships across finance, operations, and procurement to align priorities, strengthen resilience, and deliver results that last. Energized by the possibilities of emerging AI, Renee is passionate about using technology to bring clarity and capability to the growing complexity of data centers.

  Procurement & Strategic Sourcing

  Data Center Advisor

  Renee Dowis

  Data Center Advisor

  Procurement & Strategic Sourcing

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  Somesh Kumar

  Principal, Data Center Site Selection

  Oracle

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  John Malone

  John brings nearly 20 years of experience in energy and infrastructure finance as an investor, advisor, analyst, field scientist, and consultant. He has sourced and analyzed opportunities across the energy value chain and has both technical and commercial experience in international infrastructure and energy project development, including in renewables, thermal generation, midstream and storage. At AVAIO, John focuses on digital infrastructure and energy investments, and leads ADP’s sourcing initiatives across North America and Europe, matching emerging customer demands with market opportunities. Prior to joining AVAIO, John served as a Principal at Prostar Capital, a middle-market private equity fund, responsible for sourcing and analyzing energy investment opportunities. Prior to Prostar, John led energy research efforts for Mizuho Securities and was a Managing Director at Global Hunter Securities, an energy-focused boutique investment bank. John is also a member of the Infrastructure Masons Sustainability Committee. John holds a B.A. in International Relations from Lehigh University, an M.Sc. in Geological and Marine Sciences from the University of Maine and a Ph.D. in Geological Sciences from Trinity College Dublin.

  AVAIO Capital

  Principal

  John Malone

  Principal

  AVAIO Capital

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  Abhilash Kunnatoor Margabandu

  VP, Infrastructure Engineering

  EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure

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  Chris Cole

  Chris Cole is a VP of Business Development and a member of executive leadership for Encore Electric. Focusing on strategic markets, Cole delivers certainty of results by offering a commitment to both technical expertise and workforce capability in development and execution of projects. Responsibilities include internal alignment and growth of team expertise and leveraging that strength in the best interest of our customers.

  Encore Electric

  VP

  Moderator

  Chris Cole

  VP

  Encore Electric