Loudoun to the World: The Future of Data Centers. An Industry Outlook with Buddy Rizer

Join NVTC’s Data Center & Cloud Community of Interest for an insider conversation with Buddy Rizer, Executive Director of Loudoun County’s Department of Economic Development, the leader behind the world’s largest concentration of data centers.

Why this matters now:

Northern Virginia sits at the heart of the global internet economy. But this leadership position is no longer guaranteed.

The industry is facing a pivotal moment, from sustainability and workforce demands to global competition and policy decisions here in Virginia. Proposed changes to tax policy and increasing regulatory pressure could weaken one of the Commonwealth’s strongest economic engines—just as the global race for AI infrastructure accelerates.

Buddy will break down what’s happening—and what’s at stake.

What you’ll learn:

✔ 2025 in review — key milestones and momentum across the data center industry
✔ Sustainability in action — how the industry is advancing energy efficiency and innovation
✔ Talent pipeline — workforce trends, training, and the future of tech talent
✔ Policy impact — why Virginia’s tax incentives have been a competitive advantage—and what happens if that changes
✔ Industry at risk — how evolving regulations and global competition (including China’s rapid AI expansion) could impact Virginia’s leadership
✔ Partnership power — how collaboration is fueling continued growth
✔ Looking ahead — emerging opportunities, global challenges, and what they mean for our region

Buddy will also share insights on how potential new federal tariffs could affect the data center ecosystem.

If you want to understand where the data center industry—and Virginia’s digital economy—is headed next, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Agenda

8:30 – 9:00 AM Registration and Networking

9:00 – 9:05 AM Welcome Remarks

9:05 – 9:50 AM Presentation: Data Center ‘State of the Union’, Buddy Rizer, Executive Director, Loudoun County, Dept. of Economic Development

9:50 – 9:55 AM Highlights from NVTC’s Sixth Biennial Data Center Report, ‘The Impact of Data Centers on Virginia’s State and Local Economies’ released March 2026 presented by Mangum Economics

9:55 – 10:15 AM Q&A

Speaker

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