On behalf of the Board, I’m pleased to announce Stephen Lougheed is joining our organization as President and Chief Executive Officer, AITF effective immediately.

With 35 years of experience in successfully building and growing technology-related profitable-growth businesses internationally and domestically, Stephen is the right person for the job. He brings significant tested leadership abilities in strategy and business development, marketing and sales, and operations and management – demonstrated competencies the Board executive search committee felt essential for success in this position.

With entrepreneurial and commercialization experience, Stephen is a recognized leader in the technology sector. His knowledge and working experience covers a broad spectrum of products and services in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT), geomatics, infrastructure, resource, manufacturing and public sectors. 

Stephen has the breadth and depth of success that this position demands. His corporate leadership skills; track record in restructuring, realignment and business transformation; personal entrepreneurial experiences and commercialization successes; and abilities in strategy development and implementation are strengths valued by both our Board and the AITF leadership team.   

Three businesses led by Stephen have been recognized with Alberta Science and Technology (ASTech) Leadership Foundation awards for commercial achievement. In 2010 he received a personal ASTech Award in acknowledgement of his contributions to Alberta’s Science and Technology community through the innovative new businesses he helped create that brought hundreds of millions of dollars in new value, and hundreds of jobs, to Alberta and Canada.

In addition to his broad array of qualifications, Stephen has significant working knowledge about AITF through this past involvement on the Board of Directors in a number of capacities including Vice-Chair. More recently, he has been working with the AITF leadership team as Acting COO where he led development of AITF’s 2012-13 Operating Plan. 

Stephen’s appointment concludes a comprehensive six-month national executive search process initiated when Gary Albach, former President and CEO, announced his intention to retire.

Please join me in congratulating Stephen and wishing him every success, and in thanking Gary for his many contributions and leadership through a formative time in the history of AITF.

More complete details on Stephen Lougheed are available on the AITF website Senior Leadership page.