For boldly investing in the Great Bend community, Jason Mayers was awarded the 2017 NextGen Leader of the Year award from the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development. Mayers received the award during the Chamber’s Annual Meeting & Banquet on Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Great Bend Events Center.
Other than his college education and a brief stint in the Kansas City area early in his professional career, Jason Mayers is a lifelong resident of Great Bend. As a child, Jason began his entrepreneurial endeavors early with a lawn mowing business that kept him busy and helped him earn money for college. Before he left Great Bend to attend Kansas State University, Mayers was mowing several dozen lawns each summer, instilling a solid work ethic and a thirst for achievement.

After earning a bachelor’s degree and attaining his CPA designation, Jason and his wife, Jayme, lived in Kansas City for a brief period before moving home to put down roots in Great Bend. Along with launching a successful career in public accounting, Mayers was also passionate about real estate. He and his father built his first rental property, a duplex on 29th Street. Not long after that, Jason lost his father in a vehicle accident. Jason’s father, lifelong owner of EQ Muffler, was a huge mentor for Jason, and the tragic accident thrust Jason into taking on the ownership of that business along with his CPA clients at Adams Brown Beran & Ball and his growing real estate ventures.
It wasn’t long before Jason became a partner at ABBB, logging long hours and building a successful career. It was then that the Marmie family approached Jason about becoming their company’s Chief Financial Officer, allowing him to also pursue his real estate endeavors and spend more time with his family.
“Jason has been such a valuable member of our team,” said Desa Marmie Behr. “We couldn’t pass up the chance to recruit such a brilliant accounting expert and someone with such a natural instinct for running a business and achieving long-term goals. He is an exceptional leader in our company.”
Since that first duplex, Jason’s passion for real estate has expanded to now owning over 270 units throughout Kansas under a number of entities, with MPIRE Properties being the parent company for most of them. Jason is also managing partner of Superior Self Storage, and a partner in MPIRE Realty Group and MPIRE Improvements.

What is most notable about Jason’s achievements outside of his professional accolades is the economic impact made by his commitment to providing exceptional quality rental properties. Whenever possible, MPIRE Properties tries to utilize local vendors and contractors for new construction, remodeling and improvement projects. In the last two years, his companies have invested more than a million dollars with local contractors and remodeling more than 20 different properties in Great Bend. In addition, the impact of property taxes and wages paid to the growing number of full-time employees is a significant contribution to our community.
Mayers and his wife Jayme are active in the community, donating time to several nonprofit organizations and civic initiatives. In addition to helping sponsor the Barton County Young Professionals group in years past, Jason served as treasurer for the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development for seven years. He has been an active member of the Optimist Club, and is a past president for the local civic club.

“Jason has a strong desire and passion for the success of his hometown, like none other,” said Dr. Nels Lindberg, friend of Mayers and previous NextGen award recipient. “Jason puts his money where his mouth is. He doesn’t just talk about ideas, he identifies a need and then gets after it. His impact on this community is almost immeasurable, but he has touched many lives and is definitely a rising leader in Great Bend.”
Jason and Jayme live in Great Bend with their three daughters, Samantha 11; Alex, 9; and Stevie, 6. In his limited free time, Jason enjoys attending his daughters’ activities, taking in an occasional K-State sporting event, and traveling with his family.

NextGen Leader of the Year Award Criteria
The NextGen Leader of the Year award is presented annually to an individual creating a meaningful impact as a rising leader. Nominees are leaders in their work environment, as well as in the community.