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# A Chesterfield employee who helped bring Google to the county now works for the tech giant
- URL: https://www.richmonder.org/a-chesterfield-employee-who-helped-bring-google-to-the-county-now-works-for-the-tech-giant/
- Published: 2026-10-29T09:36:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-29T09:35:59.000Z
- Description: When asked about Elder’s switch, a county spokesperson indicated Chesterfield wouldn’t comment because it’s a personnel matter.
- Author: Eleanor Shaw
- Tags: Chesterfield County, #the-bridge

As deputy director of Chesterfield’s Economic Development Authority, Jack Elder played an instrumental role in discussions between the county and Google — which now employs him to identify land specifically for data center development.

Chesterfield landed the Google complex after years of negotiations under the code name “Project Peanut,” ultimately [celebrating a $9 billion statewide](https://www.richmonder.org/google-announces-9-billion-investment-in-virginia-including-a-chesterfield-data-center/) investment in August 2025 with the help of then-Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

The Chesterfield EDA employed Elder from July 2023 to May 2026\. During a February 2025 community meeting, Elder [presented the original proposal](https://www.vpm.org/news/2025-03-06/chesterfield-county-data-centers-dominion-energy-watkins-center-upper-magnolia/) to rezone county land for data center development.

Since leaving, [his LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-elder-410963259/) page has been updated to show that he now works for Google itself, as “Strategic Negotiator, Data Center Land Development & Portfolio Management.”

When asked about Elder’s switch, a county spokesperson indicated Chesterfield wouldn’t comment because it’s a personnel matter.

“We are committed to hiring locally,” a Google spokesperson wrote to The Richmonder. 

“Jake applied for an open role on our team and he has been a welcome addition.”

The Richmonder contacted Elder for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.

On Tuesday, news broke that the tech company is eyeing a fourth [Central Virginia campus in Goochland’s West Creek](https://richmondbizsense.com/2026/10/28/breaking-news-google-eyeing-data-center-campus-in-goochlands-west-creek/?utm%5Fcampaign=RBS%20Newsfeed&utm%5Fmedium=email&%5Fhsenc=p2ANqtz-%5FV%5FTsFlMipvDWYt2x-2xUSAMCt0unmXuIo7Ib7H5HnDmoUO50EYmgROpfja9Fa3LixQ7I2HtS9HXR5Mvc5R1jH5mBdnQ&%5Fhsmi=446422764&utm%5Fcontent=446422764&utm%5Fsource=hs%5Femail), on land already zoned for data centers.

Richmond saw a similar situation in 2024, when Maritza Pechin, who helped lead the Diamond District redevelopment project, left for the federal government. She then returned to Richmond months later [in a role with Thalhimer Realty Partners](https://thalhimer.com/marketwatch/our-blog/thalhimer-realty-partners-inc-welcomes-maritza-pechin-as-director-of-development/) — the group chosen to develop the Diamond District.

*Contact Eleanor Shaw at* [*eshaw@richmonder.org*](mailto:eshaw@richmonder.org)*. She is a Report for America corps member.*