Advancing Data Center Construction East 2026
About the Event
Advancing Data Center Construction East is a three-day conference convening data center operators, developers, general contractors, and engineering specialists delivering mission-critical projects across the eastern United States. Organised by Advancing Construction (part of the Hanson Wade Group), the event takes place December 1-3, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. The gathering expects more than 1,200 attendees and over 55 speakers across five dedicated lifecycle tracks, co-located alongside Advancing Data Center Retrofits.
Programming Focus
- Data Center Planning & Development: Utility constraints, power partnerships, site selection, and accelerated approvals for AI campuses
- Contracting & Procurement: Risk reduction, long-lead equipment procurement, and alternative contracting models
- Preconstruction: Constructability, scope certainty, estimating, and design coordination before groundbreak
- Site Development & Foundations: Civil works, underground utility routing, and early-stage AI campus execution
- MEP Integration & Installation: Advanced mechanical and electrical system installation, prefabrication, and QA/QC commissioning
Featured Speakers
Hyperscalers, Operators, and Developers:
- Ryan Ferguson, Senior Vice President of Capex Strategy & Optimization, Aligned Data Centers
- Rajul Teredesai, Senior Global Strategy Engineer, Amazon Web Services
- Danielle Jones, Senior Technical Infrastructure Program Manager, Amazon Web Services
- Kelland Priest, Senior Construction Manager, Amazon Web Services
- Brad Barton, Senior Vice President, Construction Procurement, Applied Digital
- Scott Jarnigan, Founder & CEO, Caddis Cloud Solutions
- Stephen Sandford, Energy Strategy Manager, CoreWeave
- Sterling Heinz, Director of Risk Management, DC BLOX
- Yury Lui, Senior Director, Energy & Engineering, Americas Operations, Digital Realty
- Andy Tolbert, Senior Vice President, Design & Engineering, Echelon Data Centres
- Will Bass, Chief Technology Officer, Flexential
- Rupa Ved, Program Manager, Google
- Andy Kirby, General Manager, AMERS & EPC Leader, Microsoft
- Cheryl Deloughery, Director AMER Early Works, Microsoft
- Mike Solfelt, Preconstruction Director, Nscale
- Jesse Sargent, Chief Delivery Officer, OVERWATCH Mission Critical
- Paige Hubbard, Global Director, Procurement Operations & Indirect Sourcing, Prime Data Centers
- Raul Gomez, Strategic Lead of BIM Integration, Innovation & Digital Twin Ecosystem, QTS Data Centers
- Tim Alborg, Director of Government & Community Affairs, Rowan Digital Infrastructure
Utilities and Municipal Leaders:
- Chris Clark, President & CEO, Georgia Chamber of Commerce
- Buddy Rizer, Executive Director, Loudoun County Government
- John Truluck, Director of Economic Development, Dorchester County Economic Development
General Contractors and Construction Managers:
- Vince Price, Project Executive, Balfour Beatty
- Robert Hibbard, Program Director, Black & Veatch
- John Slayton, Senior Project Manager, Brasfield & Gorrie
- Daniel Mattox, Program Director, Mission Critical, Choate Construction Company
- Tyler Stevenson, Executive Vice President, Dallas, Clune Construction Company
- Amanda Atkinson, Vice President, Sustainable Services, Holder Construction Group
- Cam Thrutchley, Vice President Mission Critical, Satterfield & Pontikes Construction
- Jordan Grimm, Director, Critical Pursuits & Planning Mission Critical, Shawmut Design & Construction
Specialty Contractors and Engineers:
- Bryan Kroening, Director of Virtual Design & Construction, ArchKey Solutions
- David Daily, Senior Leader, Project, M.C. Dean Inc.
- Jim Naples, Regional Manager, Menard USA
- Kenneth Peterson, Vice President Testing & Commissioning, Quanta Services
- Joe Zepp, Quality Assurance & Commissioning Program Manager, Southland Industries
Sponsors
Lead Partner: Carpenter Contractor Trust
Hosting Partners: 3M, Allied BIM, B&S Site Development, CharterUP, CJM Security Consultants, Commerce Controls, Crewlink, Emerson, ESI Total Fuel Management, Fibergrate Composite Structures, IFS, Jones Logistics, Kodiak Workforce Solutions, Landstar System, Penn Aluminum International, Power & Data Management, Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, Stockton Products, The RK Group
Program Partners: autoLOTO, Buildots, Doodie Calls, EAE USA, ENERVEX, Fidelity National Financial, Fluence Energy, Target HyperScale, Vessco Water, Virginia Transformer Corporation
Innovation Partners: C2O Group, EPEC Solutions / ReBoSS, Lifetime Chimney Supply, PGT Trucking, Roman Stone Construction Company, Southern FiberLink Solutions
Supporting Partners: Equal Human Rights, Building Electrical Systems
Who Should Attend
- Hyperscale and wholesale colocation development directors
- Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) leaders
- Mission-critical general contractors and construction managers
- Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) trade executives
- Utility interconnection and civil infrastructure planners
- Supply chain and critical equipment procurement leads
Logistics
The event takes place at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. General contractor and engineering passes are priced at $2,299 for conference-only access and $3,097 including pre-conference workshops before October 9, 2026. Data center owners, hyperscalers, and ENR Top 400 general contractors can apply for complimentary attendance.