News & Insights

Harry Kleiser, Senior Managing Principal at Salas O’Brien, is joining a panel discussion at the 2025 Defense Communities National Summit, taking place March 31–April 2 in Arlington, VA. The session, “Sovereign Artificial Intelligence: Data Centers and Energy in Defense Communities,” is scheduled for April 1 from 4–5 PM.

Kleiser will join Lucian Niemeyer, CEO of Building Cyber Security, Lekecia Clark, Director, Army G-9 IT Directorate, Kirk. A Phillips. Director, Air Force Office of Energy Assurance – Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC), and David Porter, Vice President for Electrification & Sustainable Energy Strategy, EPRI, in a discussion on the future of AI infrastructure and its impact on national defense. The panel will explore:

• The evolving role of AI in national security – How AI advancements are enhancing logistics, military capabilities, intelligence analysis, and cybersecurity.
• Data centers as critical infrastructure – The necessity of sovereign land, resilient power, and water resources to support data center construction and operations.
• Emerging opportunities for defense communities – Strategies for siting AI data centers and power generation on federal land to expedite construction and deployment.

With over 25 years of experience in federal agencies and the AEC industry, Kleiser leads Salas O’Brien’s federal market, managing complex programs nationally. As a Board Member of the Association of Defense Communities, he is committed to supporting defense communities and military personnel through innovative infrastructure solutions.

About the Association of Defense Communities

The Association of Defense Communities (ADC) builds resilient communities that support America’s military, connecting communities, states, military leaders, and industry to enhance knowledge, share best practices, and address critical issues facing defense infrastructure. The ADC National Summit – Navigating Change brings together policymakers, military officials, and industry experts to address the evolving challenges and opportunities facing military installations and the communities that support them. For more information, visit https://adcsummit.org/.