Eric L. Mercado, C.M., ACE
CEO, Aviation Career Services (ACS)
AGE: 37
- Alma Mater: Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Go Salukis!
- What is your dream job? I’m doing it now!
- What person has impacted your career the most? I wish I could say one, but I’ve had several mentors at various phases of my career. They include Greg Chenoweth, A.A.E., C.A.E., Judi Chenoweth, Derek V. Martin, MBA, A.A.E., Nedra Farrar Swift, IPMA – CP, Michael Clow, MBA, MS, CPM, A.A.E., Bill McKeown, MBA, GPHR, SPHR, SHRM – SCP and Teri Clow, MSEL, AAI, CCSR.
- If I could visit any airport in the world, it would be: The new construction of the Mexico City Airport when it’s completed, estimated in 2020.
- If I could have dinner with anyone living or dead: Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.
Eric Mercado founded ACS in 2010 with the vision of offering a fresh recruiting, leadership development and consulting experience to the airport and aviation industries. From its inception, his goal was to elevate the industry. He recently spearheaded a professional development webinar series for NASAO and the aviation community. He has also saw a need to develop the industry’s next leaders, so he offered a Leadership Workshop in August 2017. He has ensured that ACS is aggressive in determining the needs of our community and determined to be a positive factor in promoting change and education.
Mercado started ACS in 2007 to prepare his peers to take the next steps in their careers by offering resume and interview services. Through the years, he has helped place many throughout the industry, as well as coach others through the process. Recently, he branched out into training and recruitment. The new training series will provide a reasonable alternative to many in achieving success in their careers.
“When I started in aviation years ago, I knew I wanted to have an opportunity to make an impact on the industry. After having worked several years in airport management, I founded Aviation Career Services,” said Mercado. “At first, it was to meet a need to offer career development -- including cover letters, resumes and mock interviews -- to those in the industry by those who understood it. We then grew to incorporate
executive recruitment.”
Through this expansion, ACS incorporated technology, greater client and candidate communication and service, all deep rooted via interviews by those who have worked in the industry, said Mercado. “Over the years, we’ve received a tremendous amount of positive feedback on our innovations that others have begun to imitate,” he said. “And now, we’re a full-service human capital agency serving the greater needs of the industry.”
In his job, Mercado enjoys that ACS is multi-faceted and able to positively impact the greater industry through realizations, solutions and
organizational improvements that are lasting. “As a full-service talent management agency, we’re not just recruiting, we’re taking an active and genuine interest in the industry’s future through other services,” he stated. “With that, we’ve developed an industry-specific leadership development
program aimed at providing the industry with tools at the entry, emerging and executive levels, with specificity in all that our clients do in the airport
and aviation industry.”
ACS is also working with organizations on the framework in overall organizational development and the greater title of human capital management, all with a foundation of equality, diversity and inclusion, said Mercado. “It has been studied and shown that equal, diverse and inclusive organizations are the most profitable. As an industry, airports, airline or consultancies, we’re businesses that focus on overall profitability and efficiencies,” he said. “ACS’ services and programs aim to assist organizations and individuals accomplish that goal through their most valuable asset, their people.”
Mercado’s greatest career challenge is a greater need for human capital management that is more than what ACS can currently do. “I certainly aim to expand, continue to develop partnerships and help more organizations and individuals alike,” he said. “We truly do take in interest in the people and the greater industry and personally, I’m in it for the long-term. I have another 30 years ahead of me before retirement. I and ACS aim to elevate the industry and beyond,”
There is never a dull moment in the aviation industry, said Mercado. “It touches almost every aspect of business, government and the world,” he said.
His best piece of career advice? “Surround yourself with people smarter than you and utilize your resources. That is truly the basis for how I’ve been successful with ACS,” said Mercado.
