H&P Leads Statewide Data Center Education Effort Through 2026 Summit Series

Initiative unites community leaders and industry experts to address opportunities, challenges and infrastructure needs

LYNCHBURG, Va., Nov. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As data center development continues to reshape Virginia's rural economic landscape, Hurt & Proffitt (H&P) hosted seven educational summits across Central and Southwest Virginia in 2026, bringing together municipal leaders, economic development teams and industry experts to discuss the opportunities, challenges and infrastructure demands associated with the rapidly growing industry.

Held in communities across Virginia from January through October, the educational summits were organized in collaboration with regional economic development and planning organizations, including the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, Central Virginia Planning District Commission, Onward NRV, Southern Virginia Regional Alliance, Virginia Gateway Region and Commonwealth Regional Council. Events featured presentations, panel discussions and workshops with industry professionals, regional leaders and other stakeholders. Beyond the summit series, H&P was also invited to participate in multiple municipal and regional discussions, reflecting growing demand for technical expertise and guidance on data center development.

"Data centers have become one of the most significant economic development conversations taking place across the country, particularly here in Virginia, where communities are asking important questions about what that growth means for them," said Bif Johnson, CEO of Hurt & Proffitt. "Our goal with these summits was to bring the right people together, share knowledge and give local leaders a better understanding of the complexities involved so they can make informed decisions about the future of their communities."

Virginia is home to the world's largest data center market (763+) which accounted for nearly 4,500 megawatts of existing inventory as of mid-2026, according to commercial real estate firm CBRE. Development interest continues to expand across the Commonwealth, specifically in rural southern and western regions, including Microsoft's growing data center operations in Mecklenburg County and major projects proposed in Pittsylvania, Appomattox and other parts of Southside and Central Virginia. As the industry expands, communities are increasingly evaluating the infrastructure requirements, economic opportunities and potential impacts associated with these projects.

"The Commonwealth Regional Council was pleased to collaborate with Hurt & Proffitt on this educational workshop, which brought together an outstanding group of presenters and panelists to share their expertise on the many issues surrounding data center development," said Christin Jackson, Executive Director of the Commonwealth Regional Council. "With more than 80 participants in attendance, the event provided a valuable opportunity for local government leaders and regional partners to learn, ask questions and engage in meaningful discussion. The feedback from participating localities has been overwhelmingly positive."

"The purpose of these summits was to move beyond the emotional aspects of the data center debate and to look rationally at these projects to help elected officials make the best decisions for their communities," said Chris Lloyd, Sr. VP & Director, Infrastructure & Economic Development, McGuireWoods Consulting. 

H&P will continue working with municipalities, economic development organizations and industry partners to provide technical expertise and support informed discussions about data center development across Virginia.

About Hurt & Proffitt
H&P (Hurt & Proffitt), established in 1973, is a full-service employee-owned engineering and surveying firm providing a comprehensive array of services. H&P has seven offices across Virginia in Lynchburg, Blacksburg, Gretna, Roanoke, Halifax, Chase City and Wytheville. The company employs more than 200 engineers, surveyors and support staff licensed in Virginia, West Virginia, District of Columbia, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Guam.

For more than 50 years, H&P has provided civil engineering, surveying, land development, geotechnical engineering, environmental services, and construction testing & inspection services. H&P is a SWaM-certified small business – #9824S, with the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Minority Business Enterprise.

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SOURCE Hurt & Proffitt