State of the Southern Market: Trends, Opportunities, and Challenges in Dallas and Texas

• 

  Nelson Abramson

  Nelson is the CEO of Verrus. Backed by Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners, Verrus is a data center developer reimagining data centers as flexible grid assets. He brings more than two decades of experience in overseeing data center infrastructure and large-scale distributed software systems. Prior to joining Verrus, Nelson served as the Global Head of Infrastructure for X (formerly Twitter), where he led the company’s 285-person infrastructure team globally. Nelson previously worked at Google for 20 years, including 10 years working with data centers, servers, storage, and networks and 10 years building Google’s own resource management systems that span supply chain to cloud. While at Google, he also oversaw data center site selection, global infrastructure deployments, and new product integration. Nelson earned his bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Union College and his MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.

  Verrus

  CEO

  Nelson Abramson

  CEO

  Verrus

• 

  Jerry Blair

  As Co-Founder, Jerry Blair was instrumental in DataBank’s inception in 2005. In his role, Blair is charged with executing on the company’s sales strategy. With a successful track record spanning more than 20 years in senior sales management, Blair’s experience and proven ability to implement results-driven direct and channel-focused sales programs is a very welcome continued asset to the company. Prior to DataBank, Blair was Vice President of Sales for Switch and Data and LayerOne. He has also served as General Manager of Sales for Lucent Technologies and has held sales management positions with various industry leaders including ICG Communications, Nortel Communications, and Wellfleet Communications.

  DataBank

  Co-Founder

  Jerry Blair

  Co-Founder

  DataBank

• 

  Mark Calvano

  Headquartered in San Francisco, Calvano Development, Inc. is a privately held development company specializing in urban infill projects in the Bay Area. Our Bay Area focus allows us better to understand market trends allowing us to be responsive to opportunistic projects that contribute to the communities we serve. As a privately held firm, together with creative problem solving, we can take on complex projects that others cannot. A native of Silicon Valley, Mark Calvano started his real estate career at Marcus and Millichap in 1986. Over the last 35 years, Calvano has been involved in the sale, leasing, and development of projects totaling over 1.8 million square feet of office, retail, and R&D projects valued at over one billion dollars. Mark Calvano graduated from S.F.S.U. with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Calvano serves as a member of the Silicon Valley branch of the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks (NAIOP) and is a member of Bay Area Council.

  Calvano Development

  President

  Mark Calvano

  President

  Calvano Development

• 

  Gordon Kellerman

  Gordon Kellerman serves as Executive Vice President, Sales & Leasing for Skybox Datacenters. Gordon brings 12 years of experience in critical facilities sales and marketing. Mr. Kellerman is a leading sales expert within the data center industry completing over 100 MW & 1M SF of mission critical projects throughout North America. Gordon is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and serves as an Associate Board Member for the Folsom School of Real Estate, as well as on the Executive Board of Camp John Marc. Camp John Marc aims to “inspire confidence for life” for kids with various chronic medical and physical challenges.

  Skybox Datacenters

  EVP

  Gordon Kellerman

  EVP

  Skybox Datacenters

• 

  Erich Sanchack

  CEO

  Salute

• 

  Chelsea Pullen

  Chelsea Pullen is an experienced digital infrastructure and commercial technology lawyer assisting companies with virtually all of their contractual needs, both domestically and internationally and arising from early inception to large-scale global operations. In the digital infrastructure space, Chelsea represents many of the world’s largest data center operators and developers, private equity firms, infrastructure funds, real estate investors across a broad range of transactions, including data center leases, master services agreements, service level agreements, power purchase agreements, indefeasible rights of use, dark fiber leases, cell tower and rooftop leases, internet exchange service agreements, DAS and WiFi system builds, and subsea cable systems. Chelsea’s practice also includes negotiating a broad range of technology agreements, on both the vendor and customer side, including software and AI license and services agreements and other license agreements for cloud enterprise platforms and applications. Chelsea also works with clients to modernize their commercial contracting processes to streamline negotiations, mitigate risk, and ensuring operational efficiency.

  Greenberg Traurig

  Shareholder

  Moderator

  Chelsea Pullen

  Shareholder

  Greenberg Traurig

Data Center Cooling Innovations: Preparing for the AI Era

• 

  Steve Altizer

  With nearly four decades of experience building some of the world’s most sophisticated government and commercial facilities, Steve brings our clients the leadership, commitment, and unparalleled expertise needed to deliver successful outcomes on complex highly engineered projects. Steve’s obsession with advanced technology, his real-world construction experience and his passion for highly responsive customer service provide the foundation for the Compu Dynamics service promise. In 2002, Steve founded the Andrew Browning Group (now Compu Dynamics). Prior to that, he served as a senior executive with several nationally ranked general and mechanical contractors. His work led him across the United States and overseas. Throughout his career, Steve has been a student of and thought leader in, the technology and science behind today’s modern building environments. This interest has naturally led to an affinity for clients whose requirements drive them toward facilities that are smart, clean, safe, reliable, and secure. His focus for the last 23 years has been exclusively on data centers ranging in size from 20 kW to over 100 MW. Steve earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters of Business Administration, both from the University of Virginia. For fun, Steve enjoys tennis and pickleball. When he is not competing in business, he may be found sweating it out on a racquet court!

  Compu Dynamics

  President & CEO

  Steve Altizer

  President & CEO

  Compu Dynamics

• 

  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

• 

  Reagan Kneese

  Reagan joined Maverick in January 2025 with over 20 years of proven expertise harnessing a deep network of industry operating partners and strategic providers to facilitate operations & business development. Before joining Maverick, Reagan served as President of DTC Aqua Pipeline, LLC , an operational partner of joint venture with Energy Transfer Partners in the Aqua Pipeline, a large-scale water pipeline with operations in Pennsyl

  Maverick Water Group

  Director of Origination

  Reagan Kneese

  Director of Origination

  Maverick Water Group

• 

  Nabeel Mahmood

  Nabeel Mahmood is a Technologist, Futurist and a Keynote Speaker. His career is driven by one question – what’s next? He is passionate about the power of technology to deliver competitive and transformational change and the need to develop digital leadership that will create the enterprise of the future. He believes strongly in simplification, with a purpose. Nabeel brings 18 plus years of experience leading large-scale global technology organizations through seasons of explosive growth via M&A, global expansion, implementing new business models and technology innovation. His expertise includes leading organizations through transformation changes, connecting IT to the needs of the business, technology innovation, Big Data, Cloud, ERP, IoT, Mobility and Data Centers. He brings a unique blend of experiences spanning the entire breadth of technology from Grid to Chip. At, heart he’s a true technologist and futurist, he is a proven strategist, winsome communicator and leader with extraordinary vision and operational expertise within very large, complex organizations. Nabeel is a strategic CIO identifying opportunities that are being underpinned by emerging technologies. He serves on multiple boards and is an advisor to CIOs and CEO across a number of industries.

  Nomad Futurist Foundation

  Co-Founder

  Nabeel Mahmood

  Co-Founder

  Nomad Futurist Foundation

• 

  Dave Meadows

  David C. Meadows II has worked in data center cooling since 1999.  He is currently the Director of Technology with STULZ USA, a manufacturer of precision air conditioning, humidification, and dehumidification products specifically designed for the data center.  Previously David has served as both the Design Engineering Manager and the Applications Engineering Manager at Stulz.  David holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.  David is also a graduate of the United States Navy Nuclear Power School.

  STULZ Air Technology Systems

  Director, Technology

  Dave Meadows

  Director, Technology

  STULZ Air Technology Systems

• 

  Jim Roche

  SVP, Engineering

  CyrusOne

• Moderator

  John Boggs

  Director, Thermal Sales

  Vertiv

Data Center Financing and Capital Markets: Navigating a Dynamic Landscape

• 

  Fentress Boyse

  Fentress Boyse is part of the Private Infrastructure Americas business unit at Partners Group, based in New York. He has been with Partners Group since 2014. Partners Group is a leading global private markets firm that seeks to capitalize on thematic growth trends and transform attractive businesses into market leaders. Fentress focuses on the origination, execution, and ongoing value creation activities for lead direct infrastructure investments in the communications, energy, water and services sectors. He is on the Board of Directors and is the Investment Leader for Partners Group’s investment in EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure. Prior to joining Partners Group, he worked at Citigroup. He holds a master’s degree in energy studies and international finance from The Johns Hopkins University’s Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Washington D.C. and a bachelor’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.

  Partners Group

  Member of Mgmt., Private Infrastructure - Americas

  Fentress Boyse

  Member of Mgmt., Private Infrastructure - Americas

  Partners Group

• 

  Vardahn Chaudhry

  Vardahn is a Senior Vice President at AREP, where he assists in leading the strategy, operations, and financial performance of the company’s growing portfolio. He manages the entire lifecycle of digital infrastructure assets, from acquisition to implementation, ensuring long-term value and success. Vardahn is primarily focused on AREP’s PowerHouse business, a 6+ GW data center real estate platform specializing in hyperscale cloud & AI campuses. Before joining AREP, Vardahn was Vice President of Investments at JBG SMITH where he led the firm’s digital infrastructure strategy and business unit. He oversaw an $85 million last-mile digital infrastructure and venture capital investment portfolio, and worked on various strategic initiatives and special situations. Earlier in his career, Vardahn served as the lead consultant in Accenture’s Smart Cities and Digital Infrastructure practice, delivering strategy and operations projects across public and private sectors. Vardahn holds a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from Cornell University, an M.S. in Smart Cities and Urban Analytics from University College London, and a Certificate in Commercial Real Estate Analysis and Investment from MIT (employer-sponsored).

  PowerHouse Data Centers | AREP

  SVP, Asset Management

  Vardahn Chaudhry

  SVP, Asset Management

  PowerHouse Data Centers | AREP

• 

  Bryan Marsh

  Bryan Marsh is our Managing Director of North America and is responsible for sourcing, analyzing, structuring, financing and executing acquisition, expansion and leasing activities on behalf of the company. With his nearly 40 years of real estate experience, he has been directly involved in approximately $7 billion in commercial real estate acquisitions, dispositions, development, financings and asset management. Prior to StratCap Data Centers, Bryan was a Vice President at Digital Realty where he served as the company’s Portfolio Manager for its U.S. Central region. In this capacity, he had overall responsibility for the strategic planning, acquisitions, dispositions, development, operation, leasing and financial performance of a portfolio of data centers, internet gateways and powered base buildings valued in excess of $5 billion. His portfolio ranged in size from 40 to 55 buildings and from 5.8 million to 8.1 million square feet with annual operating revenues ranging from $400 million to $600 million. Prior to joining Digital Realty, Bryan was a Senior Vice President and Partner at Equastone, a private equity firm, where he was involved in the acquisition and asset management of a 4.3 million square foot office portfolio in Dallas valued at over $600 million. At that time, Equastone was the city’s 3rd largest office landlord with 21 buildings spread across most of the city’s major submarkets. He also was formerly a Vice President with RREEF, a pension fund advisor and investment management firm, where he led an office that managed over 18 million square feet of office and industrial space in Texas and Oklahoma. Bryan personally oversaw a roughly 9 million square foot portfolio valued at approximately $500 million. Bryan has closed real estate transactions in over 250 cities and 15 states during his career. He is a past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Richardson Chamber of Commerce, and he also served on the Board of Directors of Tech Titans which is the largest technology trade association in North Texas. He has been recognized for each of the past 5 years as a member of the Dallas 500 which is a list of the most powerful and influential business leaders in the DFW metro area according to D CEO Magazine. He graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a double major in finance and real estate.

  StratCap Data Centers

  Managing Director, North America

  Bryan Marsh

  Managing Director, North America

  StratCap Data Centers

• 

  Jeffrey Moerdler

  Jeff heads our Real Estate and Communications practices in New York and has significant experience in general commercial real estate law. Jeff’s general real estate practice includes acquisitions, sales, development, leasing, and borrower’s side financing. He also has a particular focus on real estate challenges facing communications, technology, and energy companies, and represents property owners and telecom companies in telecom real estate matters, such as data center leases. His clients include both large national companies and smaller, local clients. He is frequently invited to speak on real estate, data center, and telecom topics. He also writes for several industry publications, and he is regularly quoted in national media. Jeff was a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and led many of its major real estate and telecom transactions.

  Mintz

  Member

  Jeffrey Moerdler

  Member

  Mintz

• 

  Patty Anderson

  Patty Anderson is a seasoned business development leader with over 25 years of experience in technology solutions, energy optimization, and smart building systems. Currently Vice President of Business Development at BGIS, she specializes in leveraging AI, machine learning, and energy-saving technologies to drive operational efficiency. Patty's career includes leadership roles focused on cooling management systems for data centers and driving energy optimization for industrial and healthcare facilities. She has provided high-performance technology solutions and implemented smart building strategies throughout her career. With a passion for improving operational performance, Patty is committed to advancing technology solutions in critical environments.

  BGIS

  VP, Data Center Solutions

  Moderator

  Patty Anderson

  VP, Data Center Solutions

  BGIS

Next-Gen Data Center Operations: Managing Uptime, Automation, and Human Capital in the AI Era

• 

  Dagi Berhane

  Dagi provides architecture/design, engineering and construction leadership / expertise to internal and external resources for the delivery of IT capacity for greenfield, brownfield, retrofit and lease delivery projects globally. His deliverables include data center site selection, managing efforts of land technical due diligence, engineering/designing/constructing the building shell/core, power, cooling, telecom, and controls infrastructure, environmental and building permitting all to align with Salesforce’s IT capacity roadmap for critical infrastructure builds, M&A, migration, optimization, decommissioning and leases.

  Salesforce

  Sr. Director, Global DC Architecture & Engineering

  Dagi Berhane

  Sr. Director, Global DC Architecture & Engineering

  Salesforce

• 

  Jon Gould

  Jonathan Gould is the Director of Business Development, Software for Schneider Electric with a focus on growing digital solutions across the broad spectrum of Schneider Electric portfolio. Jonathan has over 20 years of experience in software and joined Schneider Electric in 2006 via the acquisition of Netbotz. He brings an entrepreneurial approach to Sales Leadership, a proven track record of leading-edge solutions, and was a founding member of the Schneider Electric DCIM team. Jonathan lives in Austin, Texas enjoys running, golf, and Texas Longhorn football.

  Schneider Electric

  Director

  Jon Gould

  Director

  Schneider Electric

• 

  Andrew Jimenez

  Andrew Jimenez has over 30 years of experience in the fields of telecommunications testing and product certification. He has held various engineering and management positions with test laboratories specializing in the certification of network communications systems and components. Currently, he leads technical sales at Wesco Data Center Solutions. Andrew is also a Cisco CCNA with Wireless Specialization. He has given numerous technical presentations at tradeshows and symposiums and was the 2015 BICSI Harry J. Pfister Award recipient for Excellence in the Telecommunications Industry.

  Wesco

  Sr. Director, Data Center Solutions

  Andrew Jimenez

  Sr. Director, Data Center Solutions

  Wesco

• 

  David McCall

  David is an experienced public speaker and data center evangelist with over 25 years in the IT/Data Center industry. He has held a variety of roles, from leading national product and solution engineering teams to hosting the QTS Experience podcast. David is passionate about using technology and data for the greater good. He believes that data centers can help humanity prosper, nurture our planet, and safeguard a future for upcoming generations. He is committed to fostering a community that brings together a diverse range of users, thinkers, and implementers of technology for enriching conversations, shared laughter, and immersive experiences into the inner workings of our digitally connected world. David is a visionary who is eager to leverage the far-reaching implications of our interconnected digital lives. He is a respected industry professional known for his

  QTS

  Brand Evangelist

  David McCall

  Brand Evangelist

  QTS

• 

  Michael Murphy

  VP, Commissioning & Operations Engineering

  Compass Datacenters

• 

  Andre Patrick

  Patrick with over 31 years of domestic and international Data Center experience. He has held key leadership positions orchestrating complex Information Technology solution builds. His passion is delivering application and infrastructure transformations yielding operational efficiencies and cost recuperation. Patrick has been accountable for program development and execution budgets of $17M - $1.45T. His leadership directed matrixed staff, consultants, architects, and multiple EPC contractors. These programs encompassed infrastructure and construction management delivery of $3.4B in data center green and brown field initiatives. Under his leadership high-performing multi-disciplined engineering teams delivered design build and mission critical transformations beyond 4.2GW+ in capacity across the U.S. and EU. These programs aligned engineering teams with strategic technology roadmaps to meet enterprise, colo and hyperscale market needs. Prior to Introba, Patrick has significant experience as business owner, consultant, and contractor delivering mission critical facilities. He has held Data Center leadership positions as Director of Engineering, VP Program Director, VP Director, Enterprise Principal Architect, VP Infrastructure Services, Senior Officer Operations. His experience and client delivery include Airlines, Automotive, Banking, Defense, Financial Services, Enterprise Technology Sector, Education, Energy/Utilities, Health Care, Insurance, Manufacturing, Social media and Retail.

  Introba

  Sr. Principal, Data Center Engineering Services

  Andre Patrick

  Sr. Principal, Data Center Engineering Services

  Introba

• 

  Craig Compiano

  Craig Compiano is the co-founder and President of Modius Inc. Craig is a successful executive and entrepreneur and has been our President since 2004. Craig has a passion for operational systems development and performance analytics for data centers. He brings 30+ years of business and technology expertise to his role. Before Modius, Craig was at Andersen Consulting and the co-founder & VP of Paymap, Inc. Craig holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering from USC and an MBA in Finance from UC Berkeley. He also holds a patent for an Electronic Payment Technology that is widely deployed in the banking industry. Craig is also a US Navy Veteran.

  Modius

  CEO

  Moderator

  Craig Compiano

  CEO

  Modius

Modern Data Center Development: Navigating Speed, Scale, and Sustainability in the Field

• 

  Sanjay Agrawal

  As a founding member of AG&E, Sanjay brings over 27 years of experience as a structural engineer. His leadership and expertise in the design and construction industries have propelled the growth of the company into one of the largest structural engineering firms in the state of Texas. Sanjay is licensed in more than 30 states and has led the structural design of numerous projects in different market sectors including healthcare, municipal, education, mission critical, industrial, corporate, parking structures, and aviation, as well as structural forensics and full-scale load tests. Sanjay is actively involved in the development process of each project and closely monitors design execution and completion. He is also committed to training and coaching junior engineers, team building, and strategic corporate planning.

  AG&E

  CEO

  Sanjay Agrawal

  CEO

  AG&E

• 

  Luke Peters

  VP, Data Center Construction

  Prologis

• 

  David Pickett

  VP, Engineered Systems

  McGough Construction

• 

  Tyler La Susa

  Tyler La Susa is an experienced Vice President and Operations leader at TRC Companies, with nearly a decade of experience delivering integrated solutions across the Oil & Gas Pipelines, Renewables, Data Center, Utilities, and Public Infrastructure sectors. He has successfully led major land and real estate management initiatives, including siting, acquisition, technology development, and civil engineering support for some of North America’s largest DOTs, electric T&D operators, and pipeline companies. Tyler plays a key leadership role on TRC’s Data Center Strategy Team, helping to shape service offerings that accelerate project readiness for hyperscale and enterprise clients - especially developing strategies across real estate, energy acquisition, and environmental. His expertise spans project management, technology integration, and infrastructure delivery, with a focus on streamlining complex, multi-disciplinary projects under integrated services models. Tyler’s technical foundation includes specialization in Bridge Management and Load Rating under AASHTO guidelines, having contributed to the update of the second-largest bridge inventory in the United States. His early research work in USDOT-funded transportation and air quality monitoring projects fuels his operational excellence and innovation mindset today. In addition to his professional role, Tyler serves on the Board of Zoning Appeals for the City of Grandview Heights, where he remains active in community planning and development.

  TRC Companies

  VP, Business Operations

  Tyler La Susa

  VP, Business Operations

  TRC Companies

• 

  David Brody

  David Brody is Market Development Manager at Doxel. He helps construction teams adopt AI-powered tools that automate progress tracking — so they can focus on managing safe, efficient projects instead of counting components. David started his career in operations, working closely with VDC teams, data engineers, and field experts to turn raw site data into actionable insights. His focus has always been on bridging the gap between construction realities and technical solutions, and he’s passionate about making complex systems feel simple, useful, and scalable.

  Doxel

  Market Development Manager

  David Brody

  Market Development Manager

  Doxel

• 

  Mo Wright

  With over 20 years’ experience in the precast industry, Mo has gained extensive experience in manufacturing, estimating and sales and project management. His expertise in design-assist collaborations engages stakeholders early to find creative and efficient solutions tailored to meet clients’ specific needs.

  Gate Precast

  Director, Architectural Systems

  Moderator

  Mo Wright

  Director, Architectural Systems

  Gate Precast

Data Center Security From the Outside In

• 

  Altaf Bora

  Altaf "Al" Bora currently serves as the Vice President of Data Centers for Metro One Loss Prevention Security Group. Al is responsible for expanding the security services for the data center portfolio and currently works with several national accounts to optimize and develop security strategy for the data center space. Al served 21 years as an Infantry Marine and an Intelligence Officer in the United States Marine Corps. Post active duty Al worked as an Operations Director for Redpoint Resolutions LLC where he planned and executed several security and medical evacuations globally for travelers stranded abroad. Al also worked as a Data Center Security Manager for AWS, managing the physical security of several AWS sites in the Bay Area. As a Counter-Intelligence Investigator for Lockheed Martin Space he supported the security of several sensitive facilities in the western United States. And most recently Al was a Data Privacy Investigations Manager at Meta where he managed a global team of investigators responsible for securing user data from bad actors. Al currently lives in San Diego, CA where he likes to surf and teach his daughter how to properly eat fresh tacos.

  Metro One LPSG

  VP, Data Centers

  Altaf Bora

  VP, Data Centers

  Metro One LPSG

• 

  John Riotte

  John is a seasoned physical security professional with over two decades of distinguished service as a military veteran. A native New Yorker with New England roots, he brings extensive experience in security assessments, nuclear security analysis, and performance testing. John's expertise is further highlighted by his role as a Lead Instructor with the Department of Energy, where he specializes in Performance Testing Programs and Vulnerability Assessment Programs focused on the Safeguards & Security of Nuclear Materials. In addition to his instructional and professional accomplishments, John is the author of the insightful book "Your Range Card for Life." His leadership skills are further demonstrated in his position as Data Center Security Manager at a Fortune 50 company, where he applies his knowledge of adversary task and timeline analysis to ensure robust security protocols. John's dedication to his field and his ability to convey complex security concepts make him a valuable asset in any security-related endeavor. Whether it's through his writing, teaching, or management roles, he remains at the forefront of enhancing physical security measures within the industry.

  Meta

  Global Physical Security, Data Center

  John Riotte

  Global Physical Security, Data Center

  Meta

• 

  Brandy Byrd Chapman

  Brandy Chapman is a seasoned Business Development Specialist with a passion for safeguarding Mission Critical Sites. Collaborating closely with Directors of Security, Construction Managers, Architects, and Security Consultant firms, Brandy focuses on fortifying site perimeters to ensure utmost security. She firmly believes that the integrity of a high-security site begins with its perimeter, setting the standard for the level of protection afforded to valuable assets within.

  Ameristar Perimeter Security

  Business Development Specialist l Mission Critical

  Moderator

  Brandy Byrd Chapman

  Business Development Specialist l Mission Critical

  Ameristar Perimeter Security

Construction & Engineering for AI and Beyond: Designing for Density, Efficiency, and Flexibility

• 

  Steve Williams

  Mr. Steve Williams is a seasoned engineering and construction professional with over 28 years of experience across residential, commercial, and telecommunications projects. He frequently speaks at Multifamily conferences and events on innovation and trends in multifamily design and construction. A Board Member of DID Affordable Housing Foundation and Reward Third Ward, Mr. Williams is actively involved in community service and youth mentorship. As Vice President of CIVE, Inc., he oversees design, BIM, and construction, leading initiatives to implement BIM across all projects for accurate, on-time, and on-budget delivery. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.

  CIVE

  VP & Head of Design

  Steve Williams

  VP & Head of Design

  CIVE

• 

  Andy Kirby

  Andy Kirby is the AMER East & LATAM Build Partner at Microsoft, where he plays a pivotal role in overseeing various business operations and strategic initiatives within the Americas and LATAM region. With a focus on enhancing efficiency and consistency across the organization, Andy is dedicated to fostering a collaborative environment where team members are motivated to excel every day. In his current role, Andy is responsible for managing the development and execution of data center projects, ensuring that they meet the highest standards of safety, compliance, and operational excellence. His expertise in project management and risk mitigation has been instrumental in driving the successful completion of numerous high-profile projects. Before joining Microsoft, Andy spent 26 years working for general contractors, where he was involved in building highly sophisticated buildings to include the last 7 years focused on data centers. This extensive experience has provided him with a deep understanding of construction processes, project management, and the importance of collaboration and innovation in delivering complex projects. Andy is known for his visible leadership and commitment to building strong relationships with general contractors and trade partners. He has a keen eye for identifying potential challenges and implementing innovative solutions to keep projects on track and within budget. Throughout his career, Andy has demonstrated a passion for continuous improvement and learning. He has been actively involved in various training and workshop initiatives, including safety and compliance reviews, incident reviews, and corrective actions. Andy's dedication to professional development extends to his team, where he emphasizes the importance of building a culture of safety and excellence. In addition to his professional achievements, Andy is a strong advocate for community engagement and global citizenship. He has supported initiatives such as partnering with local high schools for engineering programs and participating in regional safety initiatives.

  Microsoft

  Partner, Data Center Construction Lead

  Andy Kirby

  Partner, Data Center Construction Lead

  Microsoft

• 

  Craig Pennington

  Craig Pennington is CTO of Montera Infrastructure. Previously he was Oracle’s Vice President of Data Center Engineering for Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). In his role, he was responsible for the specifications and designs for datacenter infrastructure supporting OCI’s services in over 150 locations worldwide. His teams drove innovation, lead the rapid deployment of new regions, advance OCI’s sustainability stance. Prior to joining Oracle, Craig was Vice President of Design for Equinix, where he delivered improved quality and cost improvement for the company’s global portfolio of datacenters. He was also the engineering lead for support of Equinix’s sustainability goals and accelerated innovation in datacenter design, construction and management. Craig joined Equinix from NTT where he worked for 10 years in the European Managed Services business, eventually as VP of Operations overseeing the design, implementation and support of a wide range of customers and accreditation programs.

  Montera Infrastructure

  CTO

  Craig Pennington

  CTO

  Montera Infrastructure

• 

  Robbie Sovie

  As EVP of Construction and Development, Robbie is the leader of T5’s Construction Services division, where he sets the overall vision and business strategy. He holds the general contractors license and/or business license for construction activity across the organization. Robbie holds a degree in Construction Management from Western Carolina University.

  T5 Data Centers

  EVP, Construction & Development

  Robbie Sovie

  EVP, Construction & Development

  T5 Data Centers

• 

  Tom Spackman

  Tom Spackman is owner and CEO of Gigabit Fiber, a Dallas metro optical transport provider. He is also Managing Director of Mexcap LLC, a Dallas based private equity firm. Previously, Tom was the founder and former CEO of XC Networks, an international telecommunications firm specializing in fiber and wireless networks, data centers and towers that was sold to Transtelco. Tom is a subject matter expert in the areas of network security, utility regulation, spectrum management, rights of way and large-scale capital projects. Tom is a licensed attorney in the state of Texas specializing in Federal and State communication law. He was a delegate representing the Republic of Mexico at the ITU World Radio Conference in Geneva, Switzerland and has owned and operated network assets throughout North America.

  Gigabit Fiber

  Owner & CEO

  Tom Spackman

  Owner & CEO

  Gigabit Fiber

• 

  Tyler Stevenson

  Growing up spending time on his family’s farm in East Texas, Tyler Stevenson developed a love for seeing tangible results from hard work. He found construction the perfect industry to satisfy his passion for problem-solving and teamwork. Tyler went on to earn his degree in construction management from Texas A&M University. He then worked for many years for a Dallas-Fort Worth general contractor, where he learned the ropes overseeing their Self-Perform department. He then joined Clune Construction in 2018. At the beginning of his career with Clune, Tyler managed various high-profile mission-critical projects. He was then tapped to manage Kirkland & Ellis' newest award-winning build-out in Dallas. Once completed, he was entrusted to manage multiple teams for Clune’s Dallas office. His continued successes building Clune’s Texas portfolio recently earned him the promotion to Vice President, Project Executive. Tyler's biggest professional strengths include building the right team for the job based on his evaluation of individual strengths and anticipating how present actions will affect future success. He is known in the industry for his availability, integrity, and ability to act on past lessons learned and bring unique solutions to challenging projects. Tyler is actively involved in the Dallas community. He participates in events such as Cycle for Survival and volunteers with organizations 7x24, One Tribe Foundation, and Friends of the Katy Trail. Tyler is also a graduate of Clune's Vistage program, which has credits for helping him become the leader he is today.

  Clune Construction

  SVP

  Tyler Stevenson

  SVP

  Clune Construction

• 

  Kurt Lindorfer

  Kurt’s professional engineering career spans over 40 years. His expertise includes structural engineering design for Mission Critical Facilities such as Data Centers, Health Care Facilities such as Hospitals and Clinics and Life Sciences Facilities such as Biopharmaceutical Pilot Plants and Production Facilities around the United States and the World. His area of expertise is in designing buildings to be occupable after natural disasters including Tornados, Hurricanes and Earthquakes. He has been the structural engineer of record for conventional “fixed Base Buildings” ranging from 1-23 stories, “Base Isolated Buildings” ranging from 1-5 stories, and the retrofit and new construction of buildings incorporating Fluid Viscous Dampers ranging from 1-22 stories. He has published numerous papers on passive energy dissipation and presented the findings at various conventions in Boston, San Francisco and Milan. For over 23 years as the Founding Principal at PARADIGM Structural Engineers, Kurt spends most of his time developing new leaders at PARADIGM and mentoring staff in Chicago and San Francisco.

  PARADIGM Structural Engineers

  Founding Principal

  Moderator

  Kurt Lindorfer

  Founding Principal

  PARADIGM Structural Engineers

Optimizing Supply Chain, Quality, and Capacity Planning Amid Unprecedented Growth

• 

  Marc Bhuyan

  Product Manager

  Google

• 

  Marcus Hassen

  VP, Mission Critical Operations & Group Manager

  Truist

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  Jake Ring

  Jake is the Co-Founder of Power and Data Management, LLC (PDM), a development firm that advises clients in building massively modular mission critical projects, and supplies electrical infrastructure including transformers, switchgear, containerized data centers and Battery Energy Storage Systems. PDM’s modular designs support flexible power densities to power standard and HPC systems yet delivers high operating efficiency. He is also the Founder of DC BLOX and Co-Founder of GIGA Data Centers, providers of multi-tenant colocation data centers and network services. Prior to these ventures, he was Chief Marketing Officer for GE Energy Management ($8B revenue) where he led the development of global strategy and commercialization initiatives, and guided the development of markets and new technology areas such as creating GE’s Critical Power business. In GE Critical Power, he led the business to engage hyperscale-cloud companies with a complete portfolio of electrical equipment, including UPS, switchgear, and containerized critical power systems with automated controls. Previously, he spent over nine years managing portfolio companies for private equity investors of electrical & electronic manufacturing businesses including Milestek, Pasternack Enterprises, and Magnequench, and saw them successfully brought to sale. He has also held executive leadership roles with Emerson Electric, in which he led Product Management for the Emerson Network Power division (now Vertiv). Jake received a Bachelor degree in Math and Computer Science from Vanderbilt University and an M.B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis. He lives in Atlanta, GA.

  PDM - Power and Data Management

  President

  Jake Ring

  President

  PDM - Power and Data Management

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  Adam Wiggins

  Adam Wiggins is the Data Center Segment Manager for Camfil, a leading global manufacturer of clean air solutions. He is responsible for Camfil’s data center strategy, market share, and technical support in the US. Adam brings over 12 years of experience in optimizing air filtration systems for many Fortune 500 companies such as Cardinal Health, AT&T, HCA Healthcare, Tyson Foods and Nissan. He is an expert in modeling data center TCO air filtration system costs using Camfil’s Life Cycle Cost (LCC) software. LCC software can accurately project various costs associated with a data center air filtration systems using ASHRAE filter loading data. Air filtration Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) optimization will drastically reduce kWh usage, CO2 emissions, labor hours, and environmental landfill impact. Adam passionately believes the best solutions for his customers are the best solutions for our planet too. Recent publications include Air Pollution In Data Centers: New Resource Tackles the Issue and Offers Remedies for Costly Equipment Downtime, and also Famous Music City Venue Provides Healthier Indoor Air and Reduces Costs Significantly published by Yahoo News. Adam resides in Nashville, TN with his wife and son.

  Camfil

  Manager, Data Center Segment

  Moderator

  Adam Wiggins

  Manager, Data Center Segment

  Camfil

Powering the Future: Onsite Energy Strategies, Utilization Efficiency & Sustainable Design

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  JP Buzzell

  JP (Joshua) Buzzell works closely with Eaton’s data center segment leader, to influence and support the company’s global segment strategy. This includes overseeing the development of next-gen reference designs and assisting customers with full data center design and deployment across all physical layer dimensions: power, cooling, network, and software. He also works closely with Eaton’s product and functional support teams, ensuring that the right processes and offers are available globally to serve evolving customer needs, such as supporting and scaling AI growth, and developing carbon reduction strategies. JP is one of the foremost thought leaders in the data center industry, especially on the topic of liquid cooling. His passion brought him to Eaton to develop liquid-cooling technology and continue to push the limits of what is possible, enabling the growth and economics of quantum, AI and data centers at scale. JP’s data center experience began at Facebook (now Meta), where he focused on data center construction, commissioning, and operations. He later joined Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) as a regional director of operations for data centers. While at OCI, he led whitespace design globally and was responsible for developing air-cooled and liquid-cooled standard designs. He also orchestrated the coordination and control of electrical, mechanical and network technologies to enable clusters to be scaled from a few hundred GPUs to hundreds of thousands. JP spent the first part of his career in nuclear power. His experience spans hands-on technical maintenance work—including electrical, mechanical, controls and quality assurance—to supervising nuclear reactor operations. JP holds a Bachelor of Science in nuclear energy engineering technology (ABET) from Thomas Edison State University and a Master of Science in technology management from Georgetown University. He is based in Virginia, United States.

  Eaton

  VP - Data Center Chief Architect

  JP Buzzell

  VP - Data Center Chief Architect

  Eaton

• 

  Knoell Coombs

  Knoell Coombs is the Vice President of Business Development at Life Cycle Power, where she leads all sales initiatives and drives strategic growth across the organization. Prior to joining Life Cycle Power, Knoell spent five years with Halliburton Energy Services working in both field operations and account management. In these roles, she played a key part in strategic planning and business development, helping to expand client relationships and market presence.

  Life Cycle Power

  VP

  Knoell Coombs

  VP

  Life Cycle Power

• 

  Chris Handwerk

  Chris Handwerk is the Chief Development Officer at Amp Americas. Chris is responsible for leading Amp’s business development efforts to sell long-term fixed price offtake to customers in emerging markets. Additionally, he leads new project development for the firm. Chris has nearly two decades of energy experience spanning multiple technology types, geographies, and roles, including origination, strategy, and commodity transactional structuring. He has experience in power and natural gas commodity transactions across all major North American markets and across all major power generation types, as well as experience with M&A. Prior to Amp, Chris spent the majority of his energy career at Exelon/Constellation and also held roles at DC Energy and BrightNight. Prior to joining the private sector, Chris served eight years as a submarine officer in the US Navy. He holds a PhD and Masters’ Degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), as well as a Bachelor’s degree from the United States Naval Academy.

  Amp Americas

  Chief Development Officer

  Chris Handwerk

  Chief Development Officer

  Amp Americas

• 

  Gabe Kenyon

  Gabe Kenyon is a VP of Leasing for Sabey Data Centers. Gabe joined Sabey in 2025, bringing over 25 years of industry experience to Sabey’s Leasing team. Gabe is responsible for managing strategic relationships with hyperscale and enterprise customers. In this role, Gabe is tasked with supporting the design and development of data center solutions for customers to meet mission critical infrastructure requirements across the Sabey Data Center portfolio.

  Sabey Data Centers

  VP

  Gabe Kenyon

  VP

  Sabey Data Centers

• 

  Charlie Beecherl

  Charlie Beecherl began his career in the oil and gas industry with working for a couple small independent companies in Midland and Fort Worth Texas. In 2011, Charlie entered the midstream sector with Wildcat Midstream where he managed both gas projects in North Louisiana & crude projects in West Texas. In late 2016, he established Cureton Midstream and moved to Denver, spearheading its mission to become the leading customer-focused midstream provider for gas gathering and processing in the DJ Basin, which was sold to Williams Companies in 2023. Charlie has since moved back to his native Dallas and led the effort to acquire WTG, where he is acting CEO and leads the company’s vision, culture and new business. WTG, founded in 1976, owns and operates ~8,000 miles of natural gas pipelines in three states and is actively working on projects in across 10 states in the US. He is dedicated to expanding the trusted WTG brand and its influence as a premier natural gas supplier for reliability and adaptability throughout the country. As a leader, Charlie emphasizes a customer first approach, data driven decisions, and creative problem-solving, all while navigating the dynamic challenges the energy industry presents. His commitment to making improvements across the company, while maintaining a positive and impactful company culture, remains a core focus. Outside of work, Charlie is passionate about spending time with his wife and five kids and his love for Christ. He enjoys outdoor activities, attending his kids’ sporting events, hunting, and fishing.

  West Texas Gas

  CEO

  Charlie Beecherl

  CEO

  West Texas Gas

• 

  Clayton Gibbons

  Clayton Gibbons is Head of Power Systems at SPOC GRID and a leading advocate for DC-native architectures and intelligent grid integration in data centers. With 20 years of experience in industrial power, distributed energy, and energy transition, Clayton helps hyperscalers and edge operators design resilient, efficient, and sustainable power systems. At SPOC GRID, he leads strategy and deployment of modular DC solutions that support AI growth, edge computing, and evolving sustainability goals. As moderator of Powering the Future: Onsite Energy Strategies, Clayton brings real- world insights on emerging technologies, CapEx/OpEx tradeoffs, and scalable design for digital infrastructure.

  SPOC GRID

  Head of Power Systems

  Moderator

  Clayton Gibbons

  Head of Power Systems

  SPOC GRID

Presentation: Best Practices for Maximizing Performance and Minimizing the Risk in Direct to Chip Applications

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  Pete Elliott

  Pete Elliott is a graduate of Villanova University and has nearly 30 years of water treatment experience. Pete received his commission as a U.S. Naval Officer in 1986 and served on active duty as a naval surface ship engineer as a Boilers Officer and a Main Propulsion Assistant. Pete also served in the U.S. Naval Reserve as an officer in the Civil Engineer Corps from 2010 to 2014. He joined ChemTreat in 2018 as a Technical Staff Consultant on the Thermal Processes Team, focusing primarily on General Industry/Manufacturing, Commercial & Institutional, and Food & Beverage industrial segments. Prior to joining ChemTreat, Pete filled a similar role at Betz-Dearborn/GE Water/Suez for 18 years, and during that time authored several papers for the Cooling Technologies Institute (CTI) and the Associate of Water Technologies (AWT).

  ChemTreat

  Consultant

  Pete Elliott

  Consultant

  ChemTreat

Presentation: Presentation: Top Ten Data Center Legal and Business Issues for Powered Land, Leases and MSA's That You Should Know About

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  Jeffrey Moerdler

  Jeff heads our Real Estate and Communications practices in New York and has significant experience in general commercial real estate law. Jeff’s general real estate practice includes acquisitions, sales, development, leasing, and borrower’s side financing. He also has a particular focus on real estate challenges facing communications, technology, and energy companies, and represents property owners and telecom companies in telecom real estate matters, such as data center leases. His clients include both large national companies and smaller, local clients. He is frequently invited to speak on real estate, data center, and telecom topics. He also writes for several industry publications, and he is regularly quoted in national media. Jeff was a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and led many of its major real estate and telecom transactions.

  Mintz

  Member

  Jeffrey Moerdler

  Member

  Mintz

Remarks

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  Adeel Usman

  Adeel Usman, VP of Sales at PDM (Power and Data Management), is a customer-centric sales executive committed to providing critical power equipment with the urgency needed in this dynamic global energy environment. Previously, he worked at LG Corp and Unify Energy Solutions as an account executive where he leveraged strategic thinking and technical knowledge to build strong client relationships. Adeel is skilled in negotiations among diverse suppliers, internal departments, and executive stakeholders to achieve optimal procurement outcomes. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics and literature from Purchase College, SUNY.

  Power and Data Management

  VP

  Adeel Usman

  VP

  Power and Data Management