TAG Infrastructure Talks Podcast

Data Centers: Demand, Development, and Future Challenges With Ali Greenwood

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Alan Poole, Ali Greenwood) — Wed, 15 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Ali Greenwood, executive director in Cushman & Wakefield's Global Data Center Advisory Group, joins host Alan Poole to discuss historical, current, and future drivers of the demand and velocity of data center construction across the U.S., focusing on the Atlanta region. This episode covers concerns of local communities and governments and those of private investors, discussing topics such as the future of renewable energy in powering data centers to the drawbacks of insufficient tax incentives and infrastructure that may prevent developers from gravitating toward certain regions. Additional highlights include Greenwood's forecasting of data center submarkets to watch, the creative energy solutions needed for sustained success, and the top challenges that companies will face in the next three years.

Exploring Challenges and Opportunities Within the EV Infrastructure Sector With Kerri Stewart

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Alan Poole, Kerri Stewart) — Thu, 4 Apr 2024 14:27:33 +0000

In this month's episode of the TAG Infrastructure Talks, host Alan Poole sits down with Kerri Stewart, chief strategy officer of Miller Electric, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the electronic vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure sector. They cover charger compatibility and availability, the impact of aging infrastructure, and initiatives aimed at addressing these problems. This episode also highlights available funding to enhance EV charging infrastructure, and the competition between private companies and utilities in this market.

Unveiling Georgia's Electric Mobility Success Story With Virginia Sengewald

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Alan Poole) — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 14:05:00 +0000

Companies are flocking to Georgia as the state's electric mobility industry booms. In the latest episode of Troutman Pepper's TAG Infrastructure Talks, host Alan Poole sits down with Virginia Sengewald, senior project manager of industrial projects at the Georgia Department of Economic Development. She explains how the state's long history with automobile manufacturers, interagency efforts to increase access to technical education, and highly collaborative private-public partnerships have attracted stakeholders from across the U.S. and abroad, leading to more than $26 billion in investments in Georgia's electric mobility industry.

A Deep Dive Into Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment With Scott D. Woods

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Alan Poole, Scott D. Woods) — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 05:00:00 +0000

How are local governments and innovators in the infrastructure, tech, and software industries addressing the complex regulatory, infrastructural, and environmental issues that surround broadband access in the U.S.? In the first TAG Infrastructure Talks episode of 2024, host Alan Poole sits down with Scott D. Woods, president of private-public partnerships at Ready.net, to discuss how government institutions and private companies have taken on the challenge of digital equity in the U.S. They also forecast how the Broadband Equity Access and Development Act can aid in providing high-speed Internet access to the nation's underserved populations.

Public-Private Investment in Infrastructure: Community Improvement in the Atlanta Area With Kim Menefee

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Alan Poole, Kim Menefee) — Tue, 5 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0000

How will large-scale investments in infrastructure and public works initiatives transform the Atlanta metropolitan area for residents and tourists alike? Kim Menefee, executive director of the Cumberland County Community Improvement District (CID), joins Alan Poole, the host of our TAG Infrastructure Talks Podcast, to discuss the diverse projects spearheaded by CID in collaboration with other Georgia-based entities that are reshaping the Atlanta region, ranging from the introduction of an autonomous shuttle system to rehabilitating national parkland north of the city's center. Over the course of this conversation, listeners will learn:

How to leverage a mixture of private and public investment in the transportation sphere.
Valuable insights on navigating new technologies, such as autonomous vehicles.
The different solutions transit authorities, nonprofit organizations, and private companies can deploy to meet the challenges posed by population growth.

The Data Center Cooling Conundrum With Leland Sparks

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Alan Poole, Leland Sparks) — Wed, 6 Sep 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Host and Troutman Pepper Partner Alan Poole joins in a conversation with Leland Sparks, data center expert and principle at LNS Solutions. In this discussion, Leland describes how gargantuan increases in computing power inside of data centers will soon require increasingly advanced cooling methods, as well as the pros and cons of various new methods on the market and in development, including:

Ocean cooling;
Liquid immersion cooling; and
Cold plate technology.

Creating the Digital Infrastructure Career Path With Carrie Goetz

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Alan Poole, Carrie Goetz) — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 16:16:34 +0000

In this episode of TAG Infrastructure Talks, our host and Troutman Pepper Partner Alan Poole is joined by Carrie Goetz, principal and chief technology officer of StrategITcom and bestselling Amazon author. Carrie has dedicated herself to workforce development in the digital infrastructure market. In this conversation, Carrie and Alan discuss:

How and why traditional education misses opportunities to introduce the American workforce to careers in digital infrastructure;
Roadblocks to filling the 300,000 open positions in this industry within the next two years to keep up with increasing data usage; and
Ways that new approaches to workforce development may help close diversity gaps.

Moving the Ball for Metro Atlanta Mobility: Atlanta Regional Commission

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Alan Poole, Mike Alexander, Atlanta) — Tue, 6 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Join Troutman Pepper Partner and host of TAG Infrastructure Talks Alan Poole in a conversation with Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) COO Mike Alexander about how the ARC navigates the diverse needs of its constituent counties, the possibilities offered by the historical federal infrastructure funding, and much more. As the federal and state designated metropolitan regional planning organization for 20 counties in Georgia, the ARC steers projects ranging from mobility to housing among a wide range of priorities and outlooks.

Top-Tier Data Centers in Underserved Markets

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Alan Poole, Jeff Uphues) — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 04:00:00 +0000

In this episode of TAG Infrastructure Talks, Troutman Pepper Partner Alan Poole welcomes DCBLOX CEO and TAG Infrastructure Society board member Jeff Uphues to discuss the success and business model of DCBLOX — a premier tier 3 data center company developing top-class data center infrastructure in secondary and underserved markets, particularly in the Southeast — as well as many other important topics, including:

Why second- and third-tier markets offer good opportunities for top-tier digital infrastructures;
How DCBLOX determines what aspects of the data center network make sense to develop from scratch;
How the developing market of digital services drives data center development; and
The financial case for investment in data center infrastructure.

The Business and Legal Case for EMCs and Broadband

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Kevin Curtin, Alan Poole) — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode of TAG Infrastructure Talks, Troutman Pepper Partner Alan Poole discusses the history and current landscape of electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) providing broadband in Georgia with Georgia EMC Senior Vice President – Government Relations Kevin Curtin. This timely conversation includes:

The history and organization of EMCs, and why EMCs make sense as a broadband provider to rural areas.
Legal, policy, and business challenges and opportunities for EMCs entering the broadband space.
Why EMCs receive so much focus in current broadband funding opportunities.

The Evolving Landscape of Public Private Partnerships With Debra Lam of the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Debra Lam, Alan Poole) — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 14:00:00 +0000

In this episode of the TAG Infrastructure Talks, Troutman Pepper Partner Alan Poole discusses the mission of the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation (PIN) in driving public private partnerships (P3s) in the state of Georgia with Executive Director and Founder Debra Lam. Topics include:

How PIN shapes P3s in Georgia with a holistic focus, including underserved communities, student/workforce development, and community-based research.
How modern P3s differ from traditional P3s, and how companies and governments can overcome the traditional challenges of P3s by focusing on long-term relationships and goals.
What all sides of a P3 can do to ensure long-term success.

Broadband Funding in Georgia With Jessica Simmons of the Georgia Technology Authority

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Jessica Simmons, Alan Poole) — Thu, 8 Dec 2022 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode of the TAG Infrastructure Talks, Troutman Pepper Partner Alan Poole discusses the past, present, and future of broadband funding and deployment in Georgia with Georgia Technology Authority's Deputy Chief Information Officer for Broadband and Special Projects Jessica Simmons. Topics include:

The major funding sources for broadband now and in the near future, with a focus on the Broadband Equity Affordability and Deployment (BEAD) program.
Georgia's prior and ongoing efforts to enhance broadband deployment, and how that positions Georgia for BEAD funding.
Major challenges remaining for the state's goal of connecting all Georgians with high-speed, reliable, and affordable broadband.

ATL1, Atlanta Infrastructure and More With Brandon Peccoralo of Databank

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Alan Poole, Brandon Peccoralo) — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 13:08:49 +0000

In this episode of the TAG Infrastructure Talks, Troutman Pepper Partner Alan Poole sits down with Brandon Peccoralo, vice president of sales and account management at DataBank, to discuss his background and the significant role he played in the development of DataBank's ATL1 Data Center in Midtown Atlanta, specifically covering:

How the history of the internet and the 1996 Olympics contributed to Atlanta's status as an infrastructure hub.
How the partnership among Databank, Georgia Tech, and others solved significant infrastructure challenges with innovation.
Whether the data center industry has hit the "if you build it, they will come" stage.

An Overview of P3s, CIDs and Smart Cities With Malaika Rivers

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Malaika Rivers, Alan Poole) — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 19:01:22 +0000

In this episode of the TAG Infrastructure Talks podcast, Troutman Pepper Partner Alan Poole sits down with Malaika Rivers, partner at Lexicon Strategies, to discuss the formation of public-private partnerships, and how these relationships help identify projects that will further invest and build communities. Topics included:

How community improvement districts (CIDs) work to facilitate and implement public improvement projects, including smart city tech.
What's next (after money) for public-private partnerships to thrive and improve.
A preview into the implications of the next phase of digital infrastructure: the metaverse.

Terry Comer and a Vision for Data Centers and Digital Equity

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Alan Poole, Terry Comer) — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 16:03:26 +0000

In this episode of the TAG Infrastructure Talks, Troutman Pepper Partner Alan Poole sits down with Terry Comer, founder and CEO of Impact Data, to discuss the development of his new data center model on digital equity and inclusion, including:

How the focus on digital infrastructure deployment in rural areas can leave other communities in need behind.
Partnering with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) with the goal of creating digital equity.
Leveraging private investment to simultaneously improve community broadband options and career and training opportunities.

Introducing TAG Infrastructure With Board Chair Sarah Ellis

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Sarah Ellis, Alan Poole) — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 15:03:12 +0000

Troutman Pepper Partner and podcast host Alan Poole sits down with Sarah Ellis, chair of the Technology Association of Georgia Infrastructure Society, during the initial launch of the TAG Infrastructure Talks podcast to discuss TAG's goal of increasing education and awareness of infrastructure in the region.

An introduction to the podcast, our host, and our TAG Infrastructure Society chair.
How data centers and other sectors of infrastructure are proliferating in Georgia, and creating new career and business opportunities.
How TAG Infrastructure supports the industry, including legislative advocacy at the state level to help drive investment in data centers and technology.

Introducing TAG Infrastructure Talks

nicole.sparkswatts@troutman.com (Alan Poole) — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 20:47:13 +0000

TAG Infrastructure Society and Troutman Pepper are proud to announce the launch of the new podcast “TAG Infrastructure Talks.” In this podcast, Alan Poole, partner at Troutman Pepper and host of the podcast, previews why the infrastructure industry matters so much to Georgia, as well as some of the topics to be explored in the coming episodes.