Atlanta Magazine’s GaBiz special report, “State of Technology,” profiles six sectors driving innovation across Georgia, with data centers among the featured industries. DataBank COO Joe Minarik is interviewed as part of the data center section, offering perspective on Georgia’s role in the company’s national strategy and how the industry is navigating growing scrutiny around energy and sustainability.

The report notes that data center development in Georgia has doubled since 2020, with metro Atlanta recently named the top market in the country for data center leasing activity by CBRE, edging out perennial leader Northern Virginia. DataBank is specifically cited as building its fifth and sixth facilities just outside Atlanta in Lithia Springs, alongside major investments from Amazon Web Services and QTS.

“Edge computing has evolved from a niche concept into a real, deployable need. At the same time, the push on technology across the board is creating continual demand because nearly everything consumers and businesses interact with today runs through data centers.”
— Joe Minarik, COO, DataBank

Minarik pushes back directly on common criticisms of the industry’s energy use, arguing that data centers provide utilities with stable, predictable loads that help reduce grid volatility and energy price fluctuations — ultimately benefiting residential consumers. He also highlights DataBank’s early and ongoing investment in clean energy as part of a broader industry commitment to sustainability.

Read the full report at Atlanta Magazine’s GaBiz.