Tire and Rubber Association of Canada Announces 2026 Industry Leadership Awards Winners

Photo: Winners of TRAC’s 2026 Industry Leadership Awards. Left to right: Chris Figel (Chair of the Board, TRAC), Paresh Kulkarni (Kal Tire), Emmie Leung (Emterra Group), Muhammad Shah (eTracks), and Tyler Scott (Nokian Tyres).

Toronto, ON, June 5, 2026—The Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC; https://tracanada.ca) is pleased to recognize outstanding individuals and organizations for their contributions to the tire and rubber industry, including end-of-life tire management and broader sustainability initiatives. The Awards Ceremony took place following the Association’s Annual General Meeting on June 4, 2026, at the Alt Hotel Toronto Airport in Mississauga.

The 2026 Industry Leadership Awards recognized leadership in the following categories: Lifetime Achievement, Sustainability, and Young Leader.

“This year’s award recipients represent the strength and diversity of our industry. Across different roles and areas of expertise, they have demonstrated leadership, innovation, and a strong commitment to advancing the sector. Their contributions are helping address complex challenges and support the long-term sustainability of our industry,” said Carol Hochu, President and CEO of Tire and Rubber Association of Canada. “Recipients are recognized across three categories: Lifetime Achievement, Sustainability, and Young Leader.”

Lifetime Achievement

TRAC is proud to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Emmie Leung in recognition of her outstanding achievements and enduring legacy within the Canadian tire and rubber industry and the broader community.

Emmie Leung, Emterra Group

For 50 years, Emmie Leung has led Emterra Group from a one-woman start-up to one of Canada’s largest integrated resource management companies. In 2005, Emmie founded Emterra Tire Recycling (ETR), helping advance responsible end-of-life tire management in Canada and establishing ETR as a leading supplier of crumb rubber and recycled tire materials. Her leadership has played a significant role in strengthening the circular economy for tires and other recovered materials across the country.

Beyond business growth, Emmie has championed initiatives that support people, communities, and the environment. Under her leadership, Emterra introduced a formal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy focused on empowering women and diverse communities in the workplace, as well as the company’s Community Care™ program, which supports charitable partnerships, environmental awareness, and local community well-being across Canada.

Previously recognized by TRAC as Leader of the Year, Emmie continues to leave a lasting mark on the recycling and tire recovery sectors through her vision, innovation, and commitment to the circular economy.

For her enduring contributions to recycling, tire recovery, sustainability, and community leadership, Emmie Leung is a deserving recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Sustainability

In the area of Sustainability, TRAC recognizes Dr. Marcela Castano, Reliable Tire Recycling and Muhammad Shah for their environmental, economic, and social contributions.

Dr. Marcela Castano, Bridgestone

Dr. Marcela Castano has played a pivotal role in advancing certified sustainable materials and circular economy practices within the tire industry. As Bridgestone’s ISCC Plus subject matter expert, Marcela led the successful implementation of ISCC Plus certification across 15 manufacturing facilities, establishing one of the industry’s most comprehensive regional certification programs. Her work has helped integrate certified mass balance into operational systems while strengthening market confidence in sustainable materials. Through industry advocacy, customer education, and innovation, Marcela has played a significant role in advancing transparency, sustainability credibility, and commercially viable circular solutions across the tire sector.

Reliable Tire Recycling

Reliable Tire Recycling continues to advance environmental stewardship and operational innovation within Canada’s circular economy. Through a fully integrated recycling process, the company transforms end-of-life tires into valuable products including crumb rubber, molded products, blast mats, and tire-derived aggregate, helping divert significant volumes of waste from landfills while supporting sustainable end-use markets.

The company has also demonstrated a strong commitment to continuous improvement through investments in proprietary machinery, automation, and research partnerships with the University of Manitoba. These initiatives are focused on improving product quality, reducing waste, increasing energy efficiency, and advancing more sustainable production methods within the tire recycling industry.

Through a combination of innovation, disciplined operations, and a long-term sustainability focus, Reliable Tire Recycling continues to strengthen environmental outcomes, support local industry development, and elevate standards across Canada’s tire recycling sector.

Muhammad Shah, eTracks Tire Management Systems

Muhammad Shah has played a steady and influential role in supporting the sustainability and stability of Ontario’s tire recycling industry. Through his work with Ontario Tire Stewardship and now eTracks, Muhammad has consistently demonstrated a strong understanding of the operational realities facing service providers and the critical role they play in maintaining an effective recovery system.

Known for his collaborative and solutions-focused approach, Muhammad has helped service providers and supported the continued movement of end-of-life tires into responsible recovery streams. His leadership, responsiveness, and commitment to practical problem-solving have strengthened the long-term sustainability of Ontario’s tire recycling system.

Young Leader

The Young Leader award recognizes inspirational and dedicated young leaders who demonstrate industry leadership in management, innovation, technology and/or sustainability within their organizations or communities. This year, TRAC recognizes the following recipients: Paul-André Gaudreault from AirBoss of America, Paresh Kulkarni from Kal Tire, and Tyler Scott from Nokian Tyres.

Paul-André Gaudreault, AirBoss of America

Paul-André Gaudreault has demonstrated strong operational expertise and a commitment to advancing manufacturing performance within the rubber industry. As Plant Manager of AirBoss’s Acton Vale facility, he oversees complex end-to-end production processes, including rubber compounding, calendaring, extrusion, injection moulding, and assembly for globally distributed finished goods.

Since joining AirBoss in 2013, Paul-André has progressed through technical and operational roles, supporting continuous improvement in product quality, efficiency, and plant performance. With a background in chemistry and elastomer development, he has helped align material science expertise with manufacturing execution, strengthening operational consistency and production output across multiple rubber product lines.

Paresh Kulkarni, Kal Tire

Paresh Kulkarni has contributed to the growth and operational scaling of rubber devulcanization within Canada’s tire recycling sector. Since joining Kal Tire in 2022, he has advanced into managing the company’s rubber devulcanization and material downsizing operations in partnership with Tyromer.

He has played a key role in launching and running Canada’s only commercial devulcanization line, supporting production scale-up, leading customer material trials, and helping expand operations into North America, Latin America, and Europe. His work has also supported new customer development while maintaining continuous production.

Tyler Scott, Nokian Tyres

Tyler Scott has built a career defined by broad cross-functional impact across sales, technical service, and industry training within the tire sector. With 26 years of progressive experience beginning in retreading and field service, he advanced through distribution and manufacturing roles to become a key strategic account leader and trainer across North America.

Tyler has managed national accounts across Canada and the United States spanning wholesale, retail, and OEM channels, and played a key role in securing early EV OEM fitments for Nokian Tyres in North America. He has trained thousands of industry professionals across technical and commercial disciplines and maintained customer continuity through major supply disruptions. He also completed an MBA from the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois while continuing his industry leadership.

About the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada

The Tire and Rubber Association of Canada is the national trade association representing tire makers, rubber products manufacturers and importers as well as rubber recyclers and suppliers of goods and services related to the industry. TRAC helps shape public policy that supports tire and rubber industry innovation, performance, safety, and sustainability including end-of-life tire management.

Contact: [email protected]