Panel: Redefining Our Community Engagement Strategy to Reduce Public Pushback Across Midwestern States

• Addressing common public misconceptions, including outdated water-use concerns and fears about resource strain, to improve trust and understanding
• Navigating the differences between rural towns and major metro areas within the same region, to anticipate approval challenges and tailor engagement strategies
• Sharing how city leaders and data center owners collaborated to overcome early concerns, address unexpected challenges, and build long-term community support
• Implementing centralized parking and busing strategies to reduce traffic congestion, noise disruption, and strain on surrounding communities
• Staggering workforce schedules to improve traffic flow, lower transportation costs, and drive efficiency across site operations, including meals, safety, and productivity

Speakers:

Craig Huffman

Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Metro Edge Development Partners

Yury Lui

Director, Energy & Engineering, Americas Operations

Digital Realty

Herman Smith

Global Director, Community Involvement

Amazon Web Services

Jonathan Mesik

National Mission Critical Leader, Principal

DLR Group

Scott Sweers

President & CEO

CrewLink