Beacon AI Centers today announced Josh Schertzer, former CTO of Enterprise Technology at Blackstone, as its new Chief Executive Officer. Schertzer will spearhead the company’s mission to scale cutting-edge, high-capacity AI data centers critical to supporting hyperscale AI workloads. His leadership comes as Beacon advances ambitious plans to develop AI infrastructure across North America, with a strategic focus on Alberta’s growing tech ecosystem.
Leadership Change: Josh Schertzer to Drive AI Infrastructure Growth
- Experienced Tech Leader: Schertzer brings 20 years of technology leadership, operational expertise, and investment experience across multiple tech verticals.
- Vision for Growth: “I’m thrilled to join Beacon as CEO and lead the evolution of our state-of-the-art AI data centers across North America,” said Schertzer. “Our team is poised to overcome key AI infrastructure challenges and deliver vital compute capacity at scale.”
- Endorsements: Aidan Kehoe, founder and Managing Partner of Nadia Partners, praised Schertzer’s strategic and operational leadership, underscoring his readiness to guide Beacon during this critical growth phase.
Strategic Focus on Alberta: Building a Leading AI Hub
- Regional Commitment: Beacon plans to energize its Alberta sites as early as 2027, underlining the province’s appeal as a premier destination for data center development.
- Supportive Ecosystem: Alberta’s Minister of Technology and Innovation, Nate Glubish, highlighted the province’s abundant energy resources, expanding tech talent pool, and pro-business policies as key drivers attracting AI infrastructure investment.
- Competitive Advantages: Alberta offers natural gas energy, competitive corporate tax rates, and a skilled workforce essential for supporting high-density AI workloads and long-term digital infrastructure.
Beacon AI Centers Portfolio and Economic Impact
- Geographic Reach: Beacon’s development pipeline spans multiple sites near Chestermere, High River, Acheson, Sturgeon County, Langdon, and Beaumont in Alberta, with plans to expand into other North American markets in 2026.
- Massive Scale: The pipeline totals 4.9 GW of AI data center capacity, reflecting a multi-billion-dollar investment forecast at $7.2B USD / $10B CAD.
- Job Creation: According to Colliers, each project is expected to generate approximately 1,500 construction jobs and 300 skilled operational roles, boosting local economies.
- Sustainability and Performance: Each data center will feature advanced cooling technologies, energy-efficient designs, and robust connectivity to meet the demanding needs of public and private sector clients.
With Josh Schertzer at the helm, Beacon AI Centers is poised to become a pivotal player in North America’s AI infrastructure landscape. Its focus on Alberta and the commitment to large-scale, energy-efficient AI data centers position Beacon to meet the accelerating demand for compute capacity required by hyperscalers and AI innovators alike.
