Author: Trevor McPherson MBOT President and CEO
Next month will mark one year since I joined the Mississauga Board of Trade (MBOT) as its new President and CEO. At the time, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I was already familiar with the organization from my previous role as the VP of Member Services at the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC). In that position, I was responsible for ensuring that executives from more than 150 chambers of commerce and boards of trade were receiving the resources and support they required to provide optimum value to their local member businesses. Of course, providing value became even more important with the onset of the pandemic. In what seemed like an instant, I had now become one of those executives. Had I made the right decision? Would I be up to the job? With the support of a very capable staff team and Board of Directors, could I help make a positive impact on an organization that had just celebrated its 60th year of operations? Would I be able to lead MBOT into its next phase of growth and relevancy, building on the tireless efforts that my predecessor, David Wojcik, had undertaken to position MBOT for future success?
Admittedly, the jury is still out on many of the above questions, but I can say without reservation that I would “do it all over again” if presented with the same opportunity. Serving as the CEO at MBOT is an honour and responsibility that is never taken for granted. I can point to several reasons why this has been a personally rewarding first year as your President and CEO.
From seeing firsthand the passion and ingenuity of small business owners to collaborating with CEOs from many of our city’s largest employers, the collective desire to see this community prosper is palpable! Working with partners and stakeholders such as the City of Mississauga, various industry associations, NGOs, and others, MBOT’s Mississauga Economic Resiliency Group (MERG) is working to align and advance our shared objectives. I’m excited about what’s next for MBOT. A new strategic plan to be released later this year will inform our path forward.
Despite the economic challenges we face (labour and housing shortages, runaway inflation, continued pandemic-related risks and uncertainties), there are also many factors converging that will make Mississauga an even more exciting (dare I say “cool”) place to grow a business – or to work at one – for years to come:
- A recently released Life Sciences Strategy by the provincial government represents a significant opportunity to take Mississauga’s robust biotechnology and biopharmaceutical sector to the next level.
- Placemaking projects such as Lakeview Village are putting Mississauga on the map as a top destination for talent, culture, and global business investment.
- Infrastructure investments such as the Hurontario LRT (Hazel McCallion Line) and the creation of Canada’s largest health care facility by Trillium Health Partners are key enablers to unlock our potential.
- Mississauga’s competitive position as an international trading hub, bolstered by Canada’s largest airport and one of the country’s most vibrant and diverse populations.
- Globally recognized post-secondary learning institutions and training providers.
For these reasons and more, I am excited for the future of business in Mississauga, and I couldn’t be more enthusiastic about what we are going to accomplish together! Let’s do this, Mississauga!
