US data center firm Tonaquint has appointed Jim Buie as its new chief executive officer.

He replaces Matt Hamlin, who had led the company for more than 16 years.

Jim Buie tonaquint
Jim Buie joins Tonaquint – Jim Buie via LinkedIn

Buie has previously held leadership positions at Ark Data Centers (formerly Involta) as CEO, as well as roles at Flexential (formerly ViaWest), Comcast, and AT&T.

Buie said it was an "honor" to take on his new role. “As we move forward, we are taking a modern approach to data center solutions, focusing on cutting-edge technologies, while sustaining our reliability and resiliency, and solving our customers’ power, compute, and capacity challenges," he said. "We understand the unique complexities and opportunities that enterprises face when it comes to managing their IT infrastructure.”

Tonaquint was founded in 2008 in Utah as a subsidiary of local developer Kay H. Traveller; DIF Capital Partners (now CVC DIF) acquired the company at the start of 2023.

Tonaquint owns and operates data centers and provides cloud services in St. George, Utah; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Boise, Idaho.

“Jim Buie is an invaluable addition to the Tonaquint executive team. We’re confident that his exemplary leadership and expertise will elevate Tonaquint to even greater heights as a premier data center solution provider,” said Kanan Joshi, partner, co-head North America and head of digital infrastructure at CVC DIF. “We look forward to a brand new chapter of growth and expansion, continuing to create lasting value for our customers and partners.”

Outgoing CEO Hamlin had been involved with the Tonaquint team since its inception, having joined from InterLinx, an open-access telecommunications company.

Buie stood down as CEO of Involta (since rebranded as Ark) last year after seven years. Brett Lindsey, previously CEO of US fiber firm Everstream, took the helm at the colo firm in January 2024.