US Signal: Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword – CIO

Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, US Signal is the largest privately-held data center services provider in the Midwest. With 8 high-performance data centers strategically located across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, the company offers maximum redundancy and isolation from natural disasters with a full portfolio of cloud services that meet enterprises’ most demanding compute, storage, and networking requirements.

Connected by its own 9,500-mile lit fiber network designed to optimize edge computing and deliver fast access to 225 additional data centers and POPs, US Signal enables organizations of all kinds to benefit from a wide range of low-latency, exceptionally fast, and reliable IT solutions and services. These include high-performance private, hybrid, and multi-cloud services, as well as seamless integrations with the largest hyperscalers—all in data centers audited for compliance with leading certifications like HIPAA, HITECH, PCI DSS, and the EU-US Privacy Shield Framework.

We recently connected with Katie McCormick, director of marketing at US Signal, to learn more about the company’s aggressive efforts to encourage sustainable business operations. We also took the opportunity to learn why it was important for US Signal to participate in VMware’s Zero Carbon Committed initiative.

“Our fiber network, advanced data centers, and extensive IT services help organizations of all sizes stay connected to their employees and their customers, whether it’s across town or across the country,” says McCormick. “Now in addition to providing the IT infrastructure—including Infrastructure-as-a-Service—endpoint monitoring, security, and disaster recovery solutions that help customers transform their businesses, we are also offering an opportunity to reduce the emissions associated with their IT operations.”

McCormick notes that while cloud solutions inherently help reduce businesses’ carbon footprints, US Signal is committed to doing far more. Becoming a partner in VMware’s Zero Carbon Committed initiatives was a natural step that aligns with the company’s broader sustainability goals and ideals.

“At US Signal, we believe sustainability isn’t just a buzzword or a trend, but rather a crucial aspect of doing business that we take extremely seriously,” she says. “Our sustainability goals reflect this belief, and we’re committed to reducing our carbon footprint in order to be a responsible corporate citizen and safeguard the environment for future generations. Efforts like the VMware Zero Carbon Committed initiative are a critical step in reducing the environmental impact of our industry.”

US Signal is already hard at work in its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, with a comprehensive roadmap in place to operate its four state-of-the-art data centers in Michigan with 100% renewable energy by 2026.

“We believe it’s possible to build and operate data centers in a scalable, environmentally friendly way,” adds McCormick. “Not only will this help us reduce our carbon footprint, but by hosting their data in our green data centers our clients can meet more of their own sustainability goals.”

McCormick says this added benefit already resonates with customers. This includes the leading healthcare providers, financial services companies, manufacturers, universities, and retailers in the Midwest that rely on US Signal, as well as the national stalwarts that want the peace of mind that comes with US Signal’s service-level guarantees, robust network, and proven history of first-class customer service.

“We are seeing growing interest in sustainable business practices within the markets and industries we serve,” she says. “Customers are seeking out partners who share their values. They want to work with companies that are committed to making a positive impact on the environment and that are willing to change how they do business and invest time, energy, and resources into achieving their sustainability goals. It’s not always the deciding factor, but it is increasingly a major factor in building long-term relationships.”

“We don’t see sustainability as a box to be checked or a trend to follow,” she says. “We see it as an essential aspect of doing business. We have a shared responsibility to create a healthier and sustainable planet for future generations in our personal and professional lives.”

Learn more about US Signal and its partnership with VMware here.