How Are Various Stakeholders Thinking About Development and How to Power Their Sites in 2024

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  Jason Long

  Jason has been a critical player in the data center industry since 2007, specializing in wholesale and retail sales transactions. He joined VoltaGrid in 2023 to expand its data center business, recognizing the evolving challenges in the sector. Jason brings a deep well of industry expertise, enabling VoltaGrid to navigate the complexities of powering data centers and delivering tailored behind-the-meter solutions for both temporary and long-term energy needs.

  VoltaGrid

  Data Center Team

  Jason Long

  Data Center Team

  VoltaGrid

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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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  Haynes Strader

  Haynes Strader brings 8 years of real estate experience, with 7 entirely focused on mission critical facilities. Haynes spent the majority of his career as a data center site selection, acquisition and disposition expert, completing more than 200 transactions totaling more than 250 MW in 26 global markets since 2015. Haynes joined the Skybox team in January 2021 and leads the site selection and acquisition team in tandem with the sales and marketing process. Relevant experience: • Chief Development Officer, Skybox Datacenters • Vice President, CBRE Data Center Solutions • Senior Manager, HfS Research Mr. Strader continues to participate in a number of data center professional organizations including Infrastructure Masons, GLG, BWG, and 24x7. His expertise is often relied on by investors and users alike as they approach new strategies in the data center space. Mr. Strader is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and serves on SMU Dedman College Executive Board and the SMU Folsom Institute Associates Board.

  Skybox Datacenters

  Chief Development Officer

  Haynes Strader

  Chief Development Officer

  Skybox Datacenters

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  Ryan Sullivan

  Ryan Sullivan is an Executive Vice President and National Data Center Group Leader with Lincoln Property Company, overseeing Data Center Investments and Capital Markets. Ryan is responsible for broadening the firm’s data center offering, by partnering with Lincoln’s national commercial and industrial platforms to identify and execute on data center opportunities across the country, including new investments, development, leasing and third-party services for institutional investors, data center operators and end users. He also partners with Lincoln’s Investment Management team to source investment capital for data center opportunities. Ryan has extensive data center investment, development and leasing experience and joins Lincoln from GI Partners, where he led the firm’s real estate development activities, as Director of Investments and Head of Development. Prior to joining GI Partners, Ryan led investment and portfolio management at Landmark Dividend’s Digital Infrastructure Division, prior to its acquisition by Digital Bridge. From 2015 to 2020, Mr. Sullivan oversaw all investment, leasing and development activities for Lincoln’s Data Center business, formerly known as Lincoln Rackhouse. With his leadership and extensive mission critical investment and development experience, he helped build a respectable national data center operating platform of 16 datacenters across 14 markets, totaling over 3 million sq. ft. and 100 MWs of data center capacity. Earlier, he served in development, leasing and portfolio management roles at Digital Realty. Over his 18+ year data center career, Ryan has managed data center and tech/life science portfolios valued at over $7.5 billion in AUM and pursued data center projects in most U.S. and many international markets.

  Lincoln Property Group

  EVP, National Head of Data Center Investments

  Ryan Sullivan

  EVP, National Head of Data Center Investments

  Lincoln Property Group

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  Gaurav Chopra

  Gaurav Chopra, CEO at fivD, brings over 23 years of leadership in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industry and deep expertise in the evolving world of data center delivery. Under his leadership, fivD has successfully delivered over 80 data center projects, positioning him as a trusted voice in leveraging technology for faster, smarter outcomes. Gaurav champions technology-led design strategies that enable businesses to navigate the challenges of scale, complex sites, and compressed timelines. His focus on cross-disciplinary collaboration and the development of innovative tools continues to streamline design and construction processes. Driven by a passion for innovation, optimization, and sustainability, Gaurav is at the forefront of transforming how digital infrastructure is imagined and delivered.

  fivD

  CEO

  Moderator

  Gaurav Chopra

  CEO

  fivD

Building at Scale and For Speed-to-Market:

Impacts on Design and Delivery

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  Jason Harlan

  Jason Harlan, PE is a licensed structural engineer with over a decade of consulting engineering experience. Throughout his career, Jason has managed and designed a wide breadth of project types from warehouses and data centers to hospitals and transportation terminals. Jason received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from The University of Texas at Austin and joined Nucor's Construction Solutions Group in 2021. In this role, he partners with stakeholders in the data center industry to provide technical and commercial assistance, leveraging Nucor's unique position within the steel supply chain. In today's market, he hopes to alleviate problems and offer guidance to the AEC community pertaining to design, cost, schedule and environmental impact.

  Nucor Corporation

  Building Solutions Specialist

  Jason Harlan

  Building Solutions Specialist

  Nucor Corporation

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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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  Marshall Sorenson

  Develops strategies for applications of precast/prestressed concrete building systems in the data center space. Leads the effort to engage technical staff in the design-assist effort of very fast-track projects, at the earliest stages of development. Works with end-users and their agents to create unique designs and unusual applications of precast concrete building systems. Drives Metromont’s practice of acting as a specialty precast subcontractor in the data center -- and not just the manufacturer of various precast parts and pieces. Metromont can self-perform 100% of the precast concrete work, beginning from structured design-assist engagement, through field erection of "all-precast" buildings. Leads the activities of Metromont’s VA Sales staff in pursuit of projects primarily in Virginia’s Data Center Alley, but across the U.S. Metromont has the capability of extending its reach beyond this area, on certain projects, where organizational strengths, financial capacity, and past experience -- particularly with regard to mission-critical projects -- are required. 35 years experience in the precast/prestressed concrete industry, including responsibilities for nearly every aspect of the ", get work" and "do work" functions. Directly involved in preconstruction through contract, in 20M SF of all precast data centers. Marshall is a 7x24 Exchange DC Chapter Board of Directors member and a member of the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA).

  Metromont

  VP

  Marshall Sorenson

  VP

  Metromont

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  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

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  Matt Torma

  Director, Mission Critical

  XYZ Reality

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  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

Roundtable Discussion: From Blueprint to Build: Designing Cost-Effective, Sustainable Data Center Security

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  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

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  Amy Dunton

  Amy Dunton is a business development professional with a focus on developing business relationships and strategies with her customers, partners and industry peers. Serving as the foundation of her consultative wholistic approach, Amy’s over 25 years of experience in physical and network security, structured cabling, power/cooling, connectivity, network, storage, and compute brings a well-rounded and unique perspective to the critical infrastructure industry.  Her roles have included working for distribution, manufacturing, manufacturing representatives, and a leading Enterprise IT Solutions provider.  Her expansive network and understanding of IT infrastructure, Facilities and Data Centers has fuelled a passion for creating an environment with more collaboration as IT Infrastructure and technology trends can greatly impact how we design, build and secure our data centers and critical infrastructure. Amy currently serves on the board of the AFCOM Greater MN Chapter and the 7x24 Exchange MN Chapter. She is serving as the Co-Chair for the SIA Perimeter Security

  Ameristar Perimeter Security USA

  Business Development for Tier II, III and Edge

  Moderator

  Amy Dunton

  Business Development for Tier II, III and Edge

  Ameristar Perimeter Security USA

Building for AI and Advanced Tech Infrastructure:

Understanding Key Differences and How to Design for Future Demand

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  Brad Barton

  EVP, Construction and Development

  Applied Digital

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  Arjuna Pandit

  Arjuna Pandit is an Account Client Manager at NVIDIA, where he manages key relationships with leading NVIDIA Cloud Partners. With a deep understanding of the infrastructure and communication technology sectors, Arjuna drives strategic partnerships that leverage NVIDIA’s advanced computing and AI capabilities to tackle some of the most complex challenges in cloud computing, sustainable energy, and digital transformation. Before his role at NVIDIA, Arjuna had extensive experience managing client relationships and delivering customer innovation through technology solutions. He previously held leadership roles at Ericsson, HPE, and Motorola. His work at the intersection of AI, cloud computing, and communication technologies highlights his commitment to advancing technology that benefits business, community, and the environment. Arjuna is a graduate of Tulane University’s School of Science and Engineering and is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana. He resides in Dallas, Texas, with his wife and two children. When not focusing on technology, Arjuna is an avid Saints fan and a lifelong beginner golfer.

  Nvidia

  Account Executive

  Arjuna Pandit

  Account Executive

  Nvidia

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  Alex Para

  Senior Director, Central US

  Equinix

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  David Pickett

  VP, Engineered Systems

  McGough Construction

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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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  Artecia Wilson

  Artecia Wilson is a Director of Technology, with extensive leadership and technical experience including enterprise data + AI governance strategy, product management and technology lifecycle management. Artecia has held several leadership roles in AT&T. Prior to her current role, she led a team that delivered products and features supporting sales, ad analytics, optimization, and cross screen ad delivery for AT&T's ad business. She has also led teams that were responsible for enterprise-wide strategies, architecture, and network deployment In-Building Mobility systems that amplify wireless service in densely populated venues and downtown areas. Previously, she led operations and network implementation teams supporting the launch of AT&T’s premier video offering, U-verse TV. She was integral in creating a system that improved delivery of new products and applications across mobile devices, PCs, and televisions. Artecia began her career with AT&T in Atlanta, GA, supporting the global consumer business, before making the decision to pursue her passion for technology in Dallas, TX. Artecia graduated from LeTourneau University with a BBA and MBA. She is an advocate of STEM, and serves as a mentor to new college hires that want to pursue technical leadership careers. She resides in McKinney, TX and enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.

  AT&T

  Director, Technology

  Artecia Wilson

  Director, Technology

  AT&T

• Moderator

  Charles Casey

  Account Executive

  Johnson Controls

Optimizing the Data Center Delivery Process:

Reducing Cost and Mitigating Risk Across All Stages of the Project Lifecycle

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  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

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  Cory Plunk

  Cory Plunk is Director – Real Estate Operations at AT&T and a licensed Professional Engineer. Cory brings over 15 years of experience in the AEC industry, with 8 years dedicated specifically to the planning, design, construction, and operation of a large portfolio of mission critical facilities. An active member of the mission critical community, Cory is a board member of 7x24 Exchange - Lone Star Chapter.

  AT&T

  Director, Real Estate Operations

  Cory Plunk

  Director, Real Estate Operations

  AT&T

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  Jose Ruiz

  Jose Ruiz is an entrepreneurial and value-driven data center industry executive, with more than a decade of global industry expertise in data center design, engineering, construction, operations, strategy and technical sales. With a truly distinctive combination of business and technical knowledge, he has a proven track record of leadership, innovation and success. Jose also served in the US Navy as a Lieutenant Commander and Naval Aviator for 12 years.

  Stream Data Centers

  SVP, Global Accounts & Platform Strategy

  Jose Ruiz

  SVP, Global Accounts & Platform Strategy

  Stream Data Centers

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  Reid Senescu

  Reid Senescu is VP of Product Management at Doxel. His team talks with folks in construction and communicates their needs to software developers who use AI to help the industry build better, faster, with lower costs. His career began as a structural engineer, founded a construction tech startup out of his PhD research at Stanford and then led product for Rhumbix followed by Enlighted (acquired by Siemens).

  Doxel

  VP, Product Management

  Reid Senescu

  VP, Product Management

  Doxel

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  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

  Moderator

  Sanjay Agrawal

  CEO

  AG&E