DICE MIDWEST 2023

SPEAKERS AND PANELS

CHELSEA KULHANEK

Site Acquisition & Development, Crane Data Centers

MOHAMMED ALROB

Operations Engineering, Cloud Operations & Innovation, Microsoft

SAM SAHA

Head of Customer Engineering, Google

​RAYMOND PARPART​

​Director, Data Center Strategy & Operations, University of Chicago

J. TODD RAYMOND

CEO & Managing ​Partner, fifteenfortyseven Critical Systems Realty

NABEEL MAHMOOD

Member, Board of Directors, United Security Bank

SAM BROWN

VP, Engineering & Construction, ServerFarm

BILL KLEYMAN

Board Member, Neu.ro/Infrastructure Masons

ROBBIE SOVIE

EVP, Development & Construction, T5 Data Centers

STUART LAWRENCE

VP, Product Innovation & Sustainability, Stream Data Centers

DAVID MCCALL

VP, Innovation, QTS

JEFFREY MOERDLER

Member, Mintz

MODERATOR

SEAN FARNEY

Executive Director, JLL

DAVE MEADOWS

Director, Technology, Stulz USA

MELISSA VANDEWATER

Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig

BEN CRAWFORD

Manager, Kohler Power Group

PAUL RAMBO

Director, Design & Construction, Decennial Group

MODERATOR

MIKE HERWALD

Manager, North American Sales, Munters Corporation

MODERATOR

LILY YUSUPOVA

Strategic Account Executive, Schneider Electric

MODERATOR

ED SITAR

Manager, Economic & Business Development, ComEd

MODERATOR

KEMAL HAWA

Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig

WHY YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS DATA CENTER COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE CONFERENCE:

What You'll Learn:

• Chicago is the third largest city and one of the seven 'Tier 1' data center markets across the US - how does it compare to other primary markets?
• The city is showing no signs of slowing down - the region saw an 83% increase with 48MW of net absorption in 2022, the highest total since 2016. Learn what can you can expect for 2023.
• Learn about the optimal design principles, engineering strategies and infrastructure considerations to ensure efficient and reliable data center cooling and operational practices.
• Explore strategies for reducing carbon footprint, implementing renewable energy solutions, and optimizing cooling and power systems to minimize environmental impact.
• Gain insights into the factors influencing data center site selection, including power availability, connectivity, regulatory considerations and tax incentives.
• Current state incentives have helped attract 13 data center projects, created more than 8,000 jobs and brought in $4.3 billion in investment to the Greater Chicago market. Learn how private and public stakeholders are working together to bring more developments to local communities.
• Hear about future innovations and big ideas that will shape this industry for the next three to five years.

 

How You'll Do More Business From Attending This Event: Learn how top players are navigating the region's density, power and land challenges, which deals are coming to the market and how industry titans are driving new trends to shape the industry. Hear from the industry's most influential people, connect with decision-makers and expand your network with the right people. 

 

Relevant Data Center News & Developments To Be Discussed During The Session:

• Illinois data center tax incentives bring $4 billion in new development
• Why Chicago is considered a top-tier data center market

 

Who You’ll Meet During Networking: Providers, investors, contractors, lawyers, consultants, brokers, end users, CEOs, vice presidents of construction, engineers, heads of facilities, directors of operations and city officials.

 

Are you an end user*?

Click here to be considered for a complimentary pass. *Hyperscaler, colocation provider (non-sales), investor, private equity, or enterprise tenant.

 

For questions, group ticket rates or interest in becoming a speaker or sponsor, please email our DICE Global Director, Adam Knobloch, adam.knobloch@bisnow.com

AGENDA

TIMEACTIVITY
7:30 AM
8:25 AM | Registration, Breakfast and Networking
8:25 AM
8:30 AM | Opening Remarks: Welcome to DICE Midwest
8:30 AM
9:10 AM | State Of The Market: The Evolving Data Center Landscape in Chicago And The Greater MidwestChicago’s growth is showing no signs of slowing down - increasing inventory by 163% since 2015 to more than 342MW, with 196MW to be delivered by 2025. How are the dynamics changing in this primary market? Where are the opportunities for growth and the potential challenges?
9:10 AM
9:50 AM | Getting Creative With Cooling And Efficient With Operations: How Can Data Centers Increase Efficiency As Power Density Grows?As power density continues to increase, developers and technologists are looking for ways to boost efficiency and consume less limited resources, like water. What are some of the innovative approaches and investments being applied to draw less electricity and run operations more sustainability?
9:50 AM
10:05 AM | Mintz Levin Presentation
10:05 AM
10:30 AM | Networking Break
10:30 AM
11:10 AM | Greening The Future: Practical Approaches To A Sustainable Data Center That You May Not Know AboutWith sustainability continuing to be at the forefront of all stakeholders’ conversation around data center development, understanding how to make true sustainable strides will continue to be a challenge for many. How are leading operators implementing true sustainable approaches and tools in their buildings and practices?
11:10 AM
11:50 AM | Blueprints of Success: Design and Engineering To Meet The Demands of Enterprise, Wholesale and Hyperscale In Today’s EnvironmentWith supply chain delays continuing to be an issue throughout 2023, speed to market more critical than ever before and the commoditization of AI changing traditional engineering models, the build phase is looking different than it used to pre-pandemic. How are aspects of design, engineering and construction changing? What are the types of builds taking place in Chicago and the greater Midwest region?
11:50 AM
1:00 PM | Lunch
12:15 PM
12:35 PM | Lunch n Learn Session with Ameristar
1:00 PM
1:40 PM | Navigating Data Center Site Selection and DevelopmentWith demand for data centers in Chicago expected to continue growing, site selection in the region is increasingly top of mind for developers. With land availability, high-quality fiber connections, lower operational costs, there are many reasons the Midwest is attractive to developers. With that, how are the discussions with developers and city officials changing given industry growth? Where is the next ‘first-mover’ opportunity?
1:40 PM
1:55 PM | Networking Break
1:55 PM
2:25 PM | Best Practices To Enhance Data Center Commissioning and Decommissioning In Today’s EraThe data center commissioning and decommissioning process is undergoing significant changes driven by advancements in technology, evolving industry standards, and the increasing focus on sustainability. What are those changes, and what new technologies and methodologies are being applied to bringing data centers on and offline?
2:25 PM
3:00 PM | What You Need To Know: Biggest Trends That While Shape The Future of The Data Center IndustryBecause innovation has no end, there is always an opportunity for advancement and optimization. With that, what are the top industry leaders thinking about today as key areas ripe for innovation? What new technologies will shape this industry in the near and long-term future?
3:00 PM
3:30 PM | Post-Event Networking