Skybox Unboxed: From Malls to Megawatts

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2023

The basis for Skybox’s success lies in the hard work and achievement of our employees. We are highlighting each of our team members from various departments to share their impact on Skybox and what makes them the heartbeat of our organization.

“Cody has been an exceptional addition to the Skybox team from day one. Our partners and customers trust Cody will get a job done with incredible precision and isn’t deterred by new challenges. We love the horsepower and passion Cody brings to every project.” – Rob Morris, CEO

How did you get into the data center industry?

I’m from Louisiana originally and completed my Construction Engineering Technology degree at LA Tech in 2007. Out of school, I worked as a Project Manager in multiple markets including Arizona, California, and Texas. I’ve been in the construction industry for over 17 years and have been able to see a variety of projects come together. From malls to amusement parks, office spaces to football fields, each project opened up unique opportunities to learn more about what it takes to build something. I was introduced to Skybox when I met Skybox VP Construction Jason Valudos at VCC. We were working in different offices, but once I moved to Dallas, I connected with him and his brother Stephen. Years later, he told me about an opportunity to work with him and I was excited about the idea of getting into the data center space on the developer side. I’ve learned so much since that time and am really grateful for the experience.

What is one thing we don’t know about you?

Well, there’s a few. I grew up on a dairy farm (PaPa Simpson’s Farm), sometimes waking up at 3 or 4 AM with my uncle and grandfather to milk the cows. I’m one turkey away from what’s called a Grand Slam in hunting. Each and every species is full body mounted in our home, and yes my wife loves it! I’m an ordained minister and have married a few couples.

What was your favorite project or lesson learned?

A fun project I worked on previously was building the Aquatica at Seaworld in San Antonio. We built water slides, pools, buildings, and completed the site work, but the best part was the underwater stingray tunnel that visitors would raft through. It was an interesting project with unique challenges and a fun end product. My current favorite project by far is PowerCampus Dallas. It’s really exciting see 300MW of power come together so close to home.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I really enjoy the daily challenges that inevitably come with developing data centers and finding ways to solve those issues. Developing relationships with our partners has been a great experience for me as well. But by far, I would say our team. I know everyone says this, but we truly operate like a team- everyone from the top down is willing to roll up their sleeves to get the job done. I really respect and appreciate our values and am proud of the work we do.

If you had to choose one “toxic trait” for yourself, what would it be?

I have a few of these unfortunately. I’ve got a big sweet tooth (Little Debbie Christmas Trees, try to eat just one!), I hate choosing restaurants and I’m terrible at remembering the punchline of a joke!

What is your favorite way to spend your time off?

Having a great time with my wife Jayme and our dogs Roux and Lucy. This could be hunting, fishing, golfing, or hiking. We went to Belize at the beginning of the year and plan to explore more countries together in 2024.