There is a time for getting away, but after that, there’s no place like home.

After growing up in Great Bend, 2000 GBHS graduate Aaron Andrews went off to eastern Kansas for a college degree, which he received from Kansas State University in 2005. He gained valuable banking experience as an administrator for Landmark Bank in Manhattan.

But in 2008, he felt that an opportunity opening up in his hometown was too good to miss.

“I had an opportunity to move back in January of 2008 as a Loan officer for Community Bank of the Midwest,” Andrews said. “Steve Sell, Rick Schenk, and Chuck Fellhoelter had provided a great opportunity here to get into mortgage banking for Community Bank.

In 2015, Andrews flexed his entrepreneurial muscle and bought a commercial cleaning company from a local family. During that time, Roger Sell gave him an opportunity to get into real estate sales as a part time agent.

“I enjoyed the atmosphere so much that I began to make it a fulltime career,” Andrews noted. “Since then I have had a great partnership with Jason Mayers and Nels Lindberg to create MPIRE Realty Group as it is known today.” Reviving hometown roots

Andrews married Jenna, a local girl, and they have two boys, Carter, 7, and Creed, 2. They attend Trinity Lutheran Church as longtime members.

“Family is one of the largest reasons for what keeps us in Great Bend,” Andrews said.

“Both my wife and I have immediate family members locally. We are also proud of our school system and we are very happy to be involved with it. Our other love of Great Bend is the vast outdoor activities that our area provides.”

When Aaron’s not golfing, the Andrews family often loads up their Polaris and heads to a nearby recreational water venue.

“Most people don’t realize Kansas has some of the prettiest places to visit and Great Bend is lucky to be so close to many of these attractions, including Wilson Lake, Cheyenne Bottoms, and the Arkansas River.” 

Getting involved

Andrews is currently a board member for the United Way of Central Kansas and is an active participant with UWCK’s “Real World” program; a founding member of Barton County Young Professionals; a past Parking Chair for Great Bend Farm and Ranch Expo; and an active member in the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce as a Trophies to Tables volunteer.

“I’ve been very fortunate since moving back to Great Bend after college,” Andrews said. “Like most college aged students, there was not an early attraction to move back to a small community. “It didn’t take long to be able to build good friendships, strong business relationships, and of course being near family for a large backbone to support all the ideas and opportunities that I would have not seen in a large community,” he said.

“It is much easier to get involved in a smaller community and most of the great opportunities I have had are from the involvement in boards and local friendships. I love my community and all the support system it has. If I was pushing others to move here, the first thing I would tell them is to get involved in anything that inspires them.”