About
Twenty years.
Still here.
XA Security was founded in Calgary in 2004 and has been operating continuously ever since. We haven’t been acquired, haven’t franchised, and haven’t lost sight of what this work is actually about.
We started at events.
We grew into everything.
XA built its reputation on the floor — Rogers Place, the Calgary Stampede, River Cree, Grey Eagle, Live Nation shows. When you’re responsible for a 20,000-person crowd, you either get very good at this or you don’t last.
That experience shaped how we approach everything else. Property security, mobile patrol, parking operations — the standard we hold our teams to comes from working the hardest venues in Western Canada.
Today we have over 600 guards on our roster and operate 24/7 across Calgary and Edmonton. Our longest client relationships go back a decade. In 2024, we were recognized as one of Calgary’s Top Business Leaders by Business in Calgary magazine.
We are active members of the Event Safety Alliance Canada (ESAC) and the Global Crowd Management Alliance (GCMA). We hold ourselves to evolving industry standards — and we help shape them.
2004
Founded
600+
Guards on roster
20+
Years in Calgary
24/7
Operations
What we actually believe.
Reliability over everything.
Security that doesn't show up is worse than no security at all. We've built our entire operation around the assumption that every shift matters — because it does.
Consistent people, consistent results.
We don't rotate strangers through your site. We assign teams, build familiarity, and give guards the time to actually know the spaces they protect.
De-escalation is the win.
A situation that never became an incident is a better outcome than one handled after the fact. We train for that outcome specifically.
Lead with empathy.
Behind every security concern or customer need is a person. We listen, consider diverse perspectives, and respond with care. This isn't soft — it's effective.
Foster curiosity.
We ask questions, seek new insights, and continuously look for ways to improve. Twenty years in means twenty years of learning, not coasting.
Calgary is our city too.
We've never been acquired. Never been a franchise. We're a Calgary company that works in Calgary — Rogers Place, the Stampede, the venues and properties that make this city work.
The team.
XA is run by people who came up in this industry and stayed in it. The leadership team has a combined 80+ years of security experience.
Chris Kerr
Founder & President
Driven by ethics, social responsibility, and community building, Chris Kerr is shaping perspectives and setting industry standards. As the founder of XA Security, he leads a proactive, human-centred, and collaborative approach to security. He acknowledges that behind every security concern or customer need is a person with unique experiences and emotions. He passionately leads his team to actively listen, consider diverse perspectives, and respond compassionately. Serving as the Vice-Chair of the Event Safety Alliance Canada, he is a vocal advocate for elevating global event and crowd safety standards. He's a respected leader and advocate in Calgary's business community, fostering trust and connections in all his interactions.
Howard Van Schaick
Stage Operations Coordinator
With over 42 years of experience in technical production, Howard's career includes positions as a technician, lighting designer, stage manager, technical director, production manager, and tour manager. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Technical Theatre from the University of Regina. Howard's notable career highlights include roles at Centaur Theatre in Montreal, The National Arts Centre, and Magnus Theatre Northwest along with many local organizations including Alberta Theatre Projects, Calgary Philharmonic, Jack Singer Concert Hall, Decidedly Jazz Danceworks and many more!
Ivy Alenton
Parking Operations Coordinator and Events Security Supervisor
Ivy began her career with XA Security in January 2022 as a Security Guard, quickly demonstrating her leadership abilities and earning a promotion to Security Supervisor within six months. In addition to her supervisory role, Ivy managed Green Events Services and contributed to the XA Live crew and parking teams.
Mark Nodwell
Event Security Operations Manager
Mark Nodwell brings over 20 years of experience in leadership, operations, security, and occupational health and safety to XA. He began his security career in Calgary's bar scene and later joined the Guest Protection Services team at Fan Expo, providing one-on-one security for celebrity guests such as Carrie Fisher, Todd McFarlane, Jodie Benson, Helen Hunt, Heather Locklear, Neve Campbell, Nicholas Hoult, and others. Over the years, Mark has held management roles across diverse settings, including IT, modular construction, and ski patrol leadership. He values collaboration and open communication, and is committed to learning from and supporting our Event Security team in creating safe, seamless events.
Angus Gastle
CTO
With over two decades of experience in technology, product development, and building high-performing teams, Angus brings deep expertise in scaling operations and solving complex business problems. His background spans founding and growing technology-driven ventures, including several consultancies, eCommerce platform and an on-demand services startup, where he developed particular strength in creating MVPs, building nimble teams, and translating strategic challenges into actionable technology. At XA, he develops technology platforms that support our operations and works closely with the leadership team to drive innovation and efficiency across the business.
Aimee Dodge
Controller
An incredibly hard working and detail-oriented financial controller, Aimee runs the day-to-day operations of XA. She is responsible for managing a budget of over $6M and keeping everybody on task and on budget. Aimee is a large reason for XA's continued success.
Work with us.
If you value safety, learning, and doing the right thing, a career with us might be for you. We offer above-average earnings, access to Western Canada’s premier live events, and a management approach centred on coaching, development, and growth. You don’t have to quit your day job.
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