There’s a gaping gender gap in the tech industry. Men currently outnumber women two to one and the prospects for much improvement are dim — only 37% of entry-level workers are female. And things are even worse at the C-suite level, where only 15% of CEOs are female.

Cologix’s Laura Ortman

But it’s a very different situation at Cologix. The leadership team at the Denver-based data center and interconnection specialist is more than 50% female. And as of Oct.12, the company will have its first female CEO with the promotion of Laura Ortman.

Ortman, who has served as president and CRO since joining Cologix in 2018, will succeed Bill Fathers. He will remain as chair of the Cologix board of directors.

During her tenure with Cologix, Ortman has built high-performing teams with strong relationships to create a “Together We Win” culture. The best-in-class experience for customers they deliver has resulted in double-digit revenue growth over the past three years. Ortman encourages and supports other women in the company and spearheaded the creation of Cologix’s first employee resource group – the Cologix Women’s Connection Network. She received an industry leadership award from the Professional Business Women of California (PBWC) for her commitment to supporting women in technology.

“I am excited to lead this exceptional and high-performing organization through its next chapter of growth,” said Ortman. “It is an honor to lead and work alongside the amazing team at Cologix. I look forward to building on the strong foundation and positive growth we have established over the past few years. I want to thank Bill for his vision, leadership, partnership and collaboration over the years.”

Will Lead Continued Expansion

“Laura is an innovative and dynamic leader, and the ideal choice to guide Cologix as it continues its expansion in the fast-growing, digital infrastructure market opportunity,” said Fathers. “Her extensive industry knowledge, highly effective leadership style and a proven ability to adapt and innovate while delivering operational excellence will continue to be major assets as we work to meet the immense demands of the growing digital economy. I am confident Laura’s customer-centric approach will propel Cologix to new heights as we continue to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”

Ortman’s appointment follows several years of continuing expansion and partnership with Stonepeak, including a $3 billion equity recapitalization in April 2022.