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Trusted C-suite strategist, operator and energetic team builder with over 25 years of…
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Sara Baack shared thisGrateful to share the news that we’ve closed Snowhawk’s inaugural fund! This entailed more sweat equity, personal equity, relationship equity than I probably (naïvely) imagined, but as it happens when you work hard for things, and pick new and uncharted journeys for yourself -- the most difficult roads can lead you to new, capitvating vistas. Thanks to my partners and teammates – we are an eclectic bunch but I wouldn’t want it any other way. Remember that when we put our mind to something as a supportive collective, we are unstoppable. Thanks to all of the people who helped us get here, with your advice, your shoulders and appropriate tough love at times. Thanks to all of the investors who believed in us and are entrusting us with their capital. My parents are public pensioners, and whenever I get overwhelmed by the machinery of it all (bankers, accountants and lawyers, oh my!), I remember that ultimately, what we do is in service to people like them. I hope that we make all of you proud. https://lnkd.in/guNUrCz6Snowhawk Announces Final Close of Inaugural Digital Infrastructure Fund with Approximately $1.3 Billion of Total CommitmentsSnowhawk Announces Final Close of Inaugural Digital Infrastructure Fund with Approximately $1.3 Billion of Total Commitments
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Sara Baack shared thisThe wisdom and eloquence in this post just has me awestruck. So much more powerful than her athleticism and fearlessness -- is her mindset.Sara Baack shared thisYesterday my Olympic dream did not finish the way I dreamt it would. It wasn’t a story book ending or a fairy tail, it was just life. I dared to dream and had worked so hard to achieve it. Because in Downhill ski racing the difference between a strategic line and a catastrophic injury can be as small as 5 inches. I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulted in my crash. My ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever. Unfortunately, I sustained a complex tibia fracture that is currently stable but will require multiple surgeries to fix properly. While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets. Standing in the starting gate yesterday was an incredible feeling that I will never forget. Knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself. I also knew that racing was a risk. It always was and always will be an incredibly dangerous sport. And similar to ski racing, we take risks in life. We dream. We love. We jump. And sometimes we fall. Sometimes our hearts are broken. Sometimes we don’t achieve the dreams we know we could have. But that is the also the beauty of life; we can try. I tried. I dreamt. I jumped. I hope if you take away anything from my journey it’s that you all have the courage to dare greatly. Life is too short not to take chances on yourself. Because the only failure in life is not trying. I believe in you, just as you believed in me. ❤️LV
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Sara Baack shared thisCongrats to James Trout and the CleanArc Data Centers management team on their partnership with Crow Holdings to develop a campus together in Dallas! I'm sure there are many customers who will benefit from this collaboration in such an ecosystem-and-interconnection-rich data corridor. Looking forward to what's next!CleanArc Data Centers Selected to Lead Development and Leasing for Crow Holdings’ 245MW Flagship Campus in Central DallasCleanArc Data Centers Selected to Lead Development and Leasing for Crow Holdings’ 245MW Flagship Campus in Central Dallas
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Sara Baack posted thisCongratulations to our portfolio company, ProsperOps! Today, we announced the sale of ProsperOps to the global technology spend and risk intelligence software company, Flexera. We acquired ProsperOps in late 2022, and our support was designed to help the cloud optimization company scale its outstanding team, technology platform and customer reach into the winning category leader it is today. This is a milestone transaction for Snowhawk and an exciting new chapter for ProsperOps. I extend my gratitude to my other colleagues at Snowhawk and especially Matt Bradley. Thank you Chris Cochran, Erik Carlin and Chris Kuehl for the fantastic partnership, and best wishes on your exciting new chapter! On to more successes in the cloud and digital infrastructure space at Snowhawk, where we assist growing organizations in reaching the next stage of scale and driving strong outcomes for investors. Read our announcement here: https://lnkd.in/g-RE2Tnm
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Sara Baack shared thisJazzed to see the progress at CleanArc Data Centers and the team's amazing work on this campus come to fruition!Sara Baack shared thisCongratulations to the CleanArc Data Centers team on breaking ground on its 900MW flagship hyperscale campus in Northern Virginia with Governor Glenn Youngkin, the Caroline County Board of Supervisors, the Caroline County Planning Commission, and Rappahannock Electric Cooperative. Snowhawk, together with Nuveen and The Townsend Group, is proud to support CleanArc’s commitment to delivering scalable, sustainable infrastructure supporting the next generation of cloud and AI capabilities in the Commonwealth. https://lnkd.in/e96rwCBr
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Sara Baack shared thisWoot woot! Congrats team and James Trout!Sara Baack shared thisWe are delighted to share that Snowhawk has been awarded Middle Market Deal of the Year by TMT Finance for our investment in CleanArc Data Centers, a platform purpose-built to power the next generation of AI and cloud growth. This recognition reflects the vision and execution of the CleanArc Data Centers team and our shared commitment to advancing critical digital infrastructure. We're grateful for our partnership with CleanArc Data Centers, Townsend Group, and Nuveen, a TIAA company and look forward to continuing to expand the platform's reach and impact.Winners | TMT Finance Awards USA 2025Winners | TMT Finance Awards USA 2025
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Sara Baack shared thisSounds like this is going to be a very interesting discussion!Sara Baack shared thisJames Trout, our CEO, will be speaking at Yotta 2025 in Las Vegas this September 9, joining fellow industry leaders speaking on the Financial & Investment track. In a session titled "View From the Cockpit: Flying Through the Upper Westerlies," Jim will be sharing his take on what it means to lead in a time of constant change; from rapid AI evolution to market volatility and infrastructure strain. He’ll be joined by Craig Scroggie, CEO of NEXTDC, and Rajit Nanda, CEO of DataVolt, with Daniel Golding moderating. 🗓️ Sept 9 | 4:50–5:30PM 📍 MGM Grand, Las Vegas Heading to Yotta? Drop us a message if you'd like to meet with James or the CleanArc team while you're there. Lindsey Bruner, Bill Thomas, Matt Englert, John Day, Kaitlin Edwards, CPA, Sam Robinson, Nicholas Varberg, Neil S. John Cordisco Chris Freitag, Maximilian James, P.E., PMP Christopher Oertel Izzy Rasmussen #Yotta2025 #DataCenters #DigitalInfrastructure #CleanEnergy
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Sara Baack shared thisToday's announcement of Snowhawk's investment in Prime Data Centers demonstrates our continued belief in the future of cloud and AI to fundamentally change the way we work and live. It's a privilege to work together with Nicholas Laag, Ulrich Pelz and the very talented executive team at Prime as they chart their bright future and we are excited for our investors to participate. Thank you's are due all around: - to our partners at Nuveen, a TIAA company for their unwavering investment partnership and support - to my all of my teammates at Snowhawk who definitely burned the midnight oil on this one but particularly @Eric Medow, Nicolas Farago, Michael Delmont -- and all of the supporting cast from Kirkland & Ellis, EY, Black & Veatch https://lnkd.in/gZayUsFKSnowhawk and Nuveen Make Strategic Investment in Prime Data CentersSnowhawk and Nuveen Make Strategic Investment in Prime Data Centers
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Sara Baack shared thisHappy May Day! It's a great day to celebrate with Nuveen, a TIAA company as they become direct co-investors in CleanArc Data Centers. I'm loving being a small part of building a new data center platform from the ground up, surrounded by incredible investors and operators. Thank you Biff Ourso,W. Andrew Deihl,Isela Bahena for your support and partnership. James Trout and Snowhawk team, let's GO! Greg Stamas Michael Delmont Lindsey Bruner Matt Englert Bill Thomas Marc H. Howard B. Horowitz John DayNeil Sherlock https://lnkd.in/gYRjZVGaCleanArc Data Centers Welcomes Investment From NuveenCleanArc Data Centers Welcomes Investment From Nuveen
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Sara Baack reacted on thisSara Baack reacted on thisA little over 12 years ago, I supported a project that would eventually become part of Microsoft Azure. In that work, it became clear to me that the digital infrastructure opportunity would live, in some part, at Equinix. What I didn't know yet was that getting there would close a loop that started much earlier in my career. I grew up in the infrastructure and telecom world. At UUNET, one of the first commercial ISPs, a merger introduced me to Peter Van Camp (PVC, as we all came to know him). Fast forward to 2014: after many months of angling for an interview, I found myself in a Sales onboarding class at Equinix HQ. PVC walked in, by then Equinix's Executive Chairman, and told the new hires how being part of UUNET many years earlier made him want to lead with deliberate care, putting culture and mission above all. I was astounded. Because I remembered the UUNET CEO telling me, all those years ago, newer to career and right out of university, that what I was experiencing there would be once in a lifetime. To be lucky enough for it to happen twice, and to see how one fueled the other, was a wild moment. Historical significance, stewards of the internet, putting the we before me, being in service to the mission: these have been the cultural ethos that so many committed people at Equinix have advanced, including the CEOs who came after PVC had set it in motion. I know now that this kind of success takes intention. Once you commit to big ideals, you can rally a team like no other. In my time here, Equinix grew revenue nearly 5x, expanded to almost 300 data centers around the globe, and became where the world's critical infrastructure lives. Along the way, the team invested deeply in communities and employee giving, and in pathways to tech careers for veterans, new-to-career talent, athletes in career transition, and more. I still get choked up seeing the hundreds of photos of employees around the world volunteering with students, at shelters and community gardens, and raising money for much-needed cures. I'm personally proud of what we built with our WeAreEquinix regional communities. Thank you to the folks I've been in the trenches with as we built together. You know who you are. I also want to be very deliberate in calling out the Sales Engineers and Solutions Architects, who are true heroes for customers and partners, day in and day out. Often without a map, across countries and languages, you found ways to help customers connect to their ecosystems, grow their businesses, and be ready for anything: in calm times and in crisis, through a pandemic, while advancing vaccines, as industries were disrupted, and through rapid geopolitical change. YOU ARE THE REAL DEAL, and it's been the privilege of my career to work and win hard with all of you. #GTSTforever It's time for my next step, this time outside of Equinix, which I'll share more about soon. Attached are photos of some special moments. Thank you Equinix for the memories!
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Sara Baack liked thisSara Baack liked thisOver the past 25 years, I've spent millions of dollars building hosting companies. Some may call it a passion, others an obsession...or some sort of huge personal problem. Alas, at the ripe age of #47, I'm leaning into my quirks and just admit I love being an operator of computers and networks. With Datum, I'm proud to announce I've #DollarMaxed my way on a per hosted webpage basis by spending roughly $6M to build Yet Another Hosting Company. What has it got me? The ability to host a personal blog with my brother. Have a read to my latest blog in the comments to see if you think its been worth it... Oh and big shoutout to those tagged in some hosting journey pictures... Raj, who started my love affair with #oss, community and computers. Sam Machiz who has been reminding me of basic economics for 2 decades despite my enthusiasm. Raul Martynek who taught me that "this has been done before with SS7" and oh so much more. Stephen Callahan who is a builder of teams and trust -- the people side of this #infrastructure biz. The best part of building infrastructure capabilities has been the people I've met along the way! Here's to one more... Oh, and just for the social graph, here is a list of colo's I've built hosting stuff in: Telehouse, Equinix, DataBank, Zayo Group, XO Communications, KDDI Corporation, Digital Realty, CyrusOne, Cologix, Inc., NYI: New York Internet, TELX, Lumen Technologies, Sabey Data Centers, CoreSite, EdgeConneX and so many more. Looking forward to getting my 'blog'
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Sara Baack liked thisSara Baack liked thisWomen 100 spotlight: Julia Robin Julia Robin, Senior Vice President, Data Centers at Oracle, focuses on strategy, growth and leadership across digital infrastructure. She is currently the VP of Networking & Data Center Capacity Management at Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, where she oversees Planning, Forecasting, and Capacity Delivery for all data center expansions as well as the global backbone, IP Transit, peering, FastConnect, and network fabrics. Julia Robin is part of The Tech Capital Women 100 - Class of 2026, celebrating 100 women helping shape the future of digital infrastructure across investment, finance, technology, operations, policy and advisory. View the full Women 100 Class of 2026: https://lnkd.in/eWDxYvh2 Join The Tech Capital in London this December The conversations shaping the next phase of digital infrastructure continue at Infrastructure Futures, taking place in London on 7 December 2026: https://lnkd.in/eUTAkR9F #women100 #digitalinfrastructure #finance #investment #ai #datacentres #leadership #thetechcapital
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Sara Baack liked thisSara Baack liked thisAfter almost twenty years, I will be leaving Egon Zehnder at the end of October. It’s hard to capture what these twenty years have meant to me. The firm has given me extraordinary opportunities to learn, grow and reinvent myself, and the freedom to make choices as my life changed. Most of all, it has brought remarkable people into my life — colleagues, clients and candidates — many of whom became friends. So why leave something I have loved? Turning fifty last year made me think more deliberately about how I want to spend the next part of my working life. I realised I’m ready to explore — to get closer to the organisations, people and ideas that fascinate me, and perhaps to contribute in different ways. But first, I’m giving myself something I haven’t had for a long time: space. To recharge, spend time with family and friends, dance, learn and ‘just be’. For once, I don’t feel the need to know exactly what comes next. I’m simply very curious to find out. To everyone who has been part of these twenty years: thank you. I leave feeling enormously grateful for what has been — and excited about what might come next.
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Sara Baack liked thisSara Baack liked thisWe just wrapped up our ProsperOps Fall Summit in Austin, TX last week. This was my 10th one… I think? A lot has happened over the past five years: nonstop growth, going global, becoming the #1 product in our space, and an exit to be a part of Flexera, something fewer than 1% of startups ever achieve. One constant through it all has been working with these two OGs - Sarah Duren and Ane McPike. They were my first two hires when I was building out our sales function in 2021, and they're still here today. They've made a huge impact on our business, our culture, and our incredibly successful brand. They’ve changed my life, and I can’t thank them enough for taking a bet on me and on ProsperOps.
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Sara Baack liked thisSara Baack liked thisC1 has been acquired by Workday! Congratulations to founders Alex Bovee, Paul Querna, and the entire C1 crew. I’m beyond ecstatic for this team, what they’ve built, and the outcome they’ve earned. This deal makes C1 our most valuable exited company to date. We co-invested in C1’s pre-seed in 2020 alongside Accel and went on to invest several more times over the last six years, including in their Series B last year. C1 also has Rackspace roots. Co-founder and CTO Paul Querna is a former Racker and someone I’ve known for 15+ years. Paul is one of the most talented and technical founders I’ve ever worked with. Paul came to Rackspace through our acquisition of Cloudkick back in the day. While he wasn’t a founder of Cloudkick, it quickly became clear that he was the technical brain behind the product. I spent years trying to keep Paul at Rackspace, and I was successful for a while. Eventually he left to start his first company, ScaleFT, which was acquired by Okta, a leader in the identity management space. At Okta, Paul met Alex Bovee, the co-founder and CEO at C1. I didn’t know Alex before C1, but it didn’t take long to see the combination of deep product experience in identity and intense sales and leadership vibes. Last year I told my investors that I thought Alex could be the CEO of a public company one day. That won’t happen with C1 now, but let’s see what happens at Workday and beyond. :) Congrats again to C1 and Workday. I think this is a super smart move for both teams, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have backed Alex, Paul, and this company from the very beginning.
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Sara Baack reacted on thisSara Baack reacted on thisI was honored to join the Snowhawk team for the TMT Finance Awards Banquet. Snowhawk was a finalist in the "Data Center Deal of the Year" category for its Prime Data Centers investment along with Nuveen, a TIAA company. Great to see Snowhawk receiving recognition for smart investing for the second year in a row!
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