Sonya Montgomery, CEO, The Desoto Group

Data center demand is creating new opportunities in Central Florida, and The Desoto Group CEO Sonya Montgomery has positioned the company to partner with those driving growth. In an interview with Invest:, Montgomery shared the importance of long-term infrastructure planning, what makes Florida, and Central Florida specifically, a great place to do business. “I’m in 14 different states, and when I go there, I’m always thinking how blessed I am to have been born and raised in Florida and to have the leadership we have here on the ground,” said Montgomery.

What have been some of the biggest milestones for The Desoto Group over the past year?

In the past 12 months for The Desoto Group, the largest milestone has been our growth in our electric division. We are pushing and growing pretty quickly in the transmission and distribution areas of electric, and the reason is the demand coming from data centers and other facilities that are in need of power.

There’s certainly higher demand. While the focus is on tech and AI — and I love that because they’re focusing on the hyperscalers — I know that without companies like mine, none of that comes to fruition. Those large infrastructure plans must be powered by electric, and that’s where we come in.

What project wins have been particularly impactful for your team?

We’ve become a go-to company for the major hyperscalers. We are supporters and infrastructure partners with data centers that include Amazon, Google, Skanska, and soon Microsoft.

With public infrastructure seeing strong investment statewide, how are funding trends shaping your project pipelines?

The great thing about data centers and the large-scale infrastructure that supports tech development is that it’s not dependent on public or federal funding. You actually see the owners of the data centers contributing in a really big way. Private equity companies are participating on a much larger scale, different from anything I’ve seen in the past, and the price continues to grow. The reason is the buildout is so expensive.

It’s not a cost you can put on the backs of consumers, the state, or even the federal government. There’s a need for this infrastructure, and they’re not going to leave it to the government to determine whether these electric and other infrastructure components occur or not.

You’re seeing global investors take notice in a very positive way. While there is some confusion about whether the cost is shifted to consumers, in most cases the answer is no, because they’re paying to generate this power for the data centers.

How is long-term competitiveness changing infrastructure planning?

It is changing rapidly here in Florida. Other states have been in motion for data centers for a really long time, and Florida has not really been considered because of natural disasters, hurricanes, and the limited supply of power and power generation.

Now, with data centers and hyperscalers looking for land space and opportunities all over the country, Florida has become a new target. Because it’s pretty much untouched other than smaller data centers, you haven’t had the big hyperscale movement you see in other states. Places like Orlando become perfect sites because that’s what they’re looking for — sites that you can build, power, and access the different components needed to have a successful project within the region.

Central Florida is primed for that because, yes, we get hurricanes, but not like the coast gets them — not from the Gulf of America side or the Atlantic Ocean. As a general contractor here in Florida, I know I can build a hurricane-proof facility. You don’t have to worry about the power going out if you’re creating and generating that power yourself.

We’ve been exposed in that way. People are stepping back and saying, “You know what, Florida is primed for data centers and big tech.” I think we’re going to see a lot of that come to this region now.

How are you advising your clients to balance the need for efficiency with long-term resilience and sustainable growth?

I think the folks of Central Florida are in a good position because the leadership has been focused on regional transportation for a really long time. We have Brightline now that goes from Central Florida to South Florida. I would encourage more people to utilize that because you avoid traffic, you’re not in the air, you can still travel first class, and you can get just about anywhere you want up and down the east coast of Florida.

Outside of that, we’ve seen significant improvement in our highways and roads in Orlando. We’re looking like a big, functional city. I was born and raised in Central Florida, so I remember the two-lane highways. We are far past that now.

There is a great plan in place. The strategic partners here in Central Florida work very well to interconnect the counties, and we keep business at the forefront of our minds when we’re doing this planning. I say that because I work in 14 different states, and there are some states where it’s very clear they haven’t focused on transportation or growth. They’re inviting new business into their region but not prepared for the workers, the employers, or the families that move there.

Infrastructure is not just about roads and buildings. You have to have a full economy that supports people of all ages. If a family moves there, mom or dad may be going to work, but there are children, teenagers, and elderly residents we have to plan for. Central Florida really and truly does a good job of that.

Like I said, I’m in 14 different states, and when I go there, I’m always thinking how blessed I am to have been born and raised in Florida and to have the leadership we have here on the ground.

What stands out about how the Central Florida region works together compared to other markets?

In some areas where I work, you go county to county and they’re not working together. They’re focused only on their particular community or neighborhood. I’m pretty satisfied with the way Central Florida works together, but more importantly, statewide planning occurs between like-minded communities.

That’s one of the reasons Florida is so strong. We understand that the local municipalities have to interface with one another, but more importantly, there has to be statewide planning. I’m really happy to participate at all levels — local, regional, and state — because it truly makes a difference. You just don’t see that in other states.

What are the challenges you’re seeing now, and how are you planning to navigate them in the coming years?

When I look at the future of Central Florida, I know we have a pretty good handle on transportation, highways, major infrastructure, government interfacing, and a growing airport.

Where I think we need to shift some focus is our local schools and affordable housing. When you’re growing business here and recruiting companies to Central Florida, people need a place to live, great schools, and safe communities. I think we need to focus just as much on those things that support a thriving economy.