Craig Huffman
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer Metro Edge Development Partners
Seminars
Tuesday 2nd June 2026
Panel: Redefining Our Community Engagement Strategy to Reduce Public Pushback Across Midwestern States
12:10 pm
- Addressing common public misconceptions, including outdated water-use concerns and fears about resource strain, to improve trust and understanding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
Tuesday 2nd June 2026
Panel: Pinpointing the Midwest’s Next Growth Markets to Enable Faster, More Strategic Site Selection
8:00 am
- Evaluating where hyperscalers, colocators and developers are looking next: when does our attention shift to new Midwest locations?
- Weighing up rural vs urban development: understanding why proximity to urban hubs is still shaping location decisions
- Identifying major county and state-level hurdles including locating viable properties, verifying power-ready land, and determining whether jurisdictions are open to hybrid or supplemental power solutions to bridge capacity gaps
Tuesday 2nd June 2026
Chair’s Opening Remarks
7:50 am
Wednesday 3rd June 2026
Chair’s Opening Remarks
8:30 am
Tuesday 2nd June 2026
Chair’s Closing Remarks
4:40 pm
Wednesday 3rd June 2026
Chair’s Closing Remarks
2:30 pm
