Emerging Leader Award – Mercedes Strachan

Presented by Lerna G.

The Emerging Leader Award celebrates a high potential individual – someone new to our industry – who has gone above and beyond, surpassing expectations and making an exceptional impact early in their career.

This year’s Emerging Leader recipient is someone whose innovation, collaboration, and results-driven approach have significantly elevated one of Canada’s leading trade shows. In their role as Trade Show Coordinator, this individual has overseen remarkable growth—adding 150 booths and generating $400,000 in new revenue. Even more impressive, those new exhibitors have already rebooked for the following year, a testament to the exceptional experience they helped deliver.

With a sharp eye for space optimization and logistics, they’ve introduced new tools and systems that have improved on-site communication, enhanced rebooking, and supported year-round promotion through digital floor planning. They’ve also championed sustainability with eco-friendly badges and shifted all exhibitor communications to a fully digital format, including a strategic and informative newsletter.

Bringing energy, fresh thinking, and a commitment to continuous improvement, this emerging leader recently deepened their involvement by joining a CAEM committee—further proof of their dedication to strengthening our industry’s future.

The recipient of the 2025 Award of Excellence for Emerging Leader is Mercedes Strachan of Landscape Ontario.