Two years after ISSA named its inaugural class of Emerging Leaders, honorees are returning to the show floor to discuss what that recognition set in motion.

Ashley Butler, vice president and general manager of GP PRO, a division of Georgia-Pacific, and Konstantin Ekelman, sales director at Imperial Brady, share their thoughts as panelists for “Leadership in Action: Real Stories and Practical Insights,” a case study session at ISSA Show North America 2026.

The session runs Tuesday, November 17, from 3 to 3:30 p.m. in the Solutions Theater (Booth #205) at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Butler and Ekelman were both members of the Emerging Leaders Class of 2024, and Ekelman went on to win the ISSA Rising Star Award in Honor of Jimmy Core that year. Butler, who was born and raised in the Atlanta area, has spent 14 years with Georgia-Pacific and leads its towel and napkin business. Ekelman leads a sales team covering the Chicago market along with Wisconsin and Indiana for Imperial Brady, the distributor created when Imperial Dade and BradyPLUS came together.

Why the whole chain shows up

Ekelman uses one word to describe what ISSA means to him. “It’s an ecosystem,” he said. “This industry works because we’re all connected. You look at Ashley, manufacturer, supplier, who we rely on, us as a distributor, and all the cleaning contractors, the schools, hospitals, facility teams … all play a critical role in ultimately making it a cleaner and safer place for everyone.”

That connection takes work from everyone. “We don’t succeed alone, so we all need each other, and we have to invest in each other,” Ekelman added. “I think ISSA does that, because it brings everyone together.”

He also pointed to the calendar. With the show landing in November, it gives people a chance to step back before the new year starts. “It’s a time for us to all refuel … to get the fuel we need to have a great 2027,” he explained.

Bring your questions to the session

Butler sees the panel as one more way ISSA keeps that ecosystem talking. She credited the association for what it does for people through education, mentorship and industry growth, and said she is honored to share that experience on stage.

The panelists have prepared their own talking points. Even so, Butler expects some of the best moments to come from the audience. “We’ve prepped some questions, but we also don’t know what we don’t know,” she noted. “Having people come and ask questions and share their thoughts … and for us to be able to provide our thoughts, but learning from what questions we hear, I think is also really important.”

What a nomination can set in motion

For Ekelman, the friendships that came out of his Emerging Leaders class have paid off in very practical ways. “The friends that I’ve been able to create since the 2024 Emerging Leader class that I was a part of, I’ve been able to build those relationships, and it’s played a critical role in making me more successful at Imperial Brady now, as a sales leader,” he shared.

He hopes attendees leave with some extra wisdom, some fresh perspective and a few new friends. Part of that message is about what it means to be noticed by someone else.

“Someone believed in Ashley and me. They nominated us to be an Emerging Leader,” Ekelman said. “Sometimes you don’t know you’re a leader and someone else has to point that out. That’s given me a lot of confidence in this industry at a young age to keep growing it.”

Butler wants people to walk out with names and faces they can follow up with. “Hey, I actually learned somebody’s story, or I learned what inspired them,” she said. She also wants them leaving with “the confidence to be able to reach out and start building those relationships” with people they might never have approached otherwise.

A 30-second case for walking in

With dozens of sessions competing for attention, both panelists were asked how they would talk someone into the room in about 30 seconds.

Ekelman’s pitch comes back to the ecosystem. The panel puts the supplier, distributor and end-user points of view on one stage. “You’re here for the ecosystem … where suppliers meet distributors, meet the end user customers,” he said. “You’re going to walk out inspired, and you’re going to learn from three different perspectives, which I think is super holistic.”

Butler opened with a bit of humor. “If you’ve seen Konstantin’s LinkedIn, why would you not want to come to this Emerging Leaders panel?” she said. Then she got to the point.

“We’re not going to give you a leadership textbook,” Butler stated. “We’re going to share real stories; we’re going to talk to you about some lessons that we’ve learned and give you some practical tips of things that have shaped our careers … ideas and tips that you can put to work the next day.”

More for Emerging Leaders in Las Vegas

The panel is one piece of a larger lineup ISSA has built around its Emerging Leaders Network, which supports professionals under 40 with industry recognition, year-round professional development, networking and mentorship.

The 2026 class of 30 honorees will be recognized at the show. Along with the Rising Star Award in Honor of Jimmy Core, this year’s class is eligible for two new honors: the Community Impact Award for volunteerism and service and the Sales Leader of the Year award.

Emerging Leader events at ISSA Show North America 2026 include:

• ISSA Spotlight Event & Awards: Tuesday, November 17, 9 to 9:50 a.m.
• Leadership in Action: Real Stories and Practical Insights: Tuesday, November 17, 3 to 3:30 p.m., Solutions Theater
• Emerging Leaders Leadership Panel: Secrets to Success from Industry Executives: Wednesday, November 18, breakfast and registration 8:30 to 9 a.m., program 9 to 10 a.m.
• Emerging Leaders 2026 Awards Ceremony: Wednesday, November 18, ISSA Booth, ceremony 3:30 to 4 p.m., networking reception 4 to 5 p.m.

ISSA Show North America 2026 takes place November 16-19 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, with exhibits open November 17-19. Learn more about the program at issa.com/emerging-leaders-program.