Who We Are
Clay Signor
Managing Member
Clay Signor grew up working in the oilfield, where he learned early that the success of a project depends on understanding the ground beneath it and the work required to build on it. That hands-on start shaped a career spanning more than three decades in real estate, construction, and energy. Across those fields, he developed a practical understanding of how land, infrastructure, and the people responsible for a project come together.
Today, Clay brings that experience to one of the technology industry’s most demanding challenges: finding and vetting sites for data centers. A promising parcel is only the beginning. Its suitability also depends on access to power, the infrastructure needed to support development, the available workforce, and the realities of building in that location.
Clay approaches each potential site with those factors in mind. His background allows him to look beyond what a property appears to offer on paper and consider what it would take to turn it into a working facility. He understands that a site must make sense as land, as a construction project, and as a long-term investment.
That perspective comes from years spent close to the work. From the oilfield to real estate and construction, Clay has built his career around practical decisions with lasting consequences. He now applies the same grounded judgment to helping technology companies identify sites with the potential to meet their needs.
Gates Walcott
Managing Member
Gates Walcott is a Mississippi-born entrepreneur whose path into business was shaped early by international exposure and hands-on construction work. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, he spent part of his childhood in Montego Bay, Jamaica, while his father worked in construction there. He returned to the U.S. to attend the University of Mississippi before relocating to Texas to begin his career in home building.
He started at Drees Custom Homes, where he completed the company's builder program, gaining the foundation he needed to launch his own venture: Gatewood Homes, a custom home building company. Building on that success, he expanded into Gatewood Construction, focused on commercial buildings, and later founded Gatewood Environmental in 2001 to provide disaster relief cleanup services.
His entrepreneurial reach continued to grow with the co-founding of Signor Lodging in 2010, which he helped build into one of the largest workforce housing companies in the lower 48 states. He later launched a real estate development company with projects across Texas, and most recently added a heavy equipment company to his portfolio.
Across each venture, Gates Walcott has developed deep expertise in logistics, permitting, and navigating relationships with state and local agencies — skills that have proven essential in scaling multiple businesses from the ground up. He describes himself simply as a "serial entrepreneur," driven by a pattern of identifying opportunities and building lasting companies around them.
Jim Courts
Jim Courts is a senior consulting professional specializing in real estate strategy, data center development, and mission-critical infrastructure advisory services. With extensive experience guiding organizations through complex real estate and technology-driven initiatives, Jim helps clients align business objectives with facility, infrastructure, and operational requirements.
Throughout his career, Jim has worked with corporate, technology, and infrastructure stakeholders to develop strategic solutions for site selection, portfolio optimization, data center planning, and capital project execution. His expertise spans market analysis, due diligence, development strategy, risk assessment, and the management of large-scale real estate and infrastructure investments.
Known for his analytical approach and collaborative leadership style, Jim brings together cross-functional teams to solve complex challenges and deliver measurable business outcomes. He has a strong track record of helping organizations navigate evolving market conditions, optimize operational efficiency, and support long-term growth through data-driven decision-making.
As a trusted advisor, Jim is committed to providing practical, results-oriented guidance that enables clients to make informed investment decisions and successfully execute critical real estate and infrastructure initiatives.
Areas of Expertise
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Real Estate Consulting
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Data Center Strategy & Development
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Site Selection & Due Diligence
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Portfolio Optimization
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Capital Project Planning & Delivery
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Infrastructure Advisory Services
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Market & Financial Analysis
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Risk Management
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Stakeholder Engagement
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Strategic Planning
Professional Statement
"I help organizations make strategic real estate and infrastructure decisions that support growth, operational excellence, and long-term value creation. By combining market insight, technical expertise, and practical execution experience, I work with clients to transform complex challenges into successful outcomes."