In this episode, Raymond Hawkins, Chief Revenue Officer at Compass Datacenters, sits down with Sean Farney, Vice President of Data Center Strategy at JLL and an industry veteran with decades of hands-on experience. Sean Farney reflects on his journey from early computing—programming on TRS-80s and managing computer labs—to leading large-scale data center projects for clients like Microsoft.
The conversation explores the evolution of the data center industry, comparing past and present buildout booms and examining how technological shifts, particularly AI, have rapidly transformed demand, design, and operational practices. Sean Farney and Raymond Hawkins address the fundamental drivers of data growth, the challenges of community pushback, and the importance of transparency in the industry.
The episode also debunks common myths about data centers’ impact on power, water, and job creation, highlighting their positive role in local economies. The discussion wraps up with book recommendations and a call for better industry storytelling as data centers become essential infrastructure for modern life.
Timestamps00:00 Choosing a career path
06:18 Raised floors and fiber buildout history
10:08 Information growth and tech for kids
10:54 Cultural impact of data consumption
17:03 Developers shifting to new locations
21:08 Data tracking and future challenges
24:46 Discussing sustainable water use in data centers
27:21 Building a Data Center Team
30:10 Discussing data center decision-making
32:35 Reflecting on the data center industry