For passionately creating a meaningful impact as a rising leader in our community, Rachel Mawhirter was awarded the 2018 NextGen Leader of the Year award from the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development. Mawhirter received the award during the Chamber’s Annual Meeting & Banquet on Saturday at the Great Bend Events Center.
As a lifelong resident of Great Bend, Rachel Mawhirter has a love and devotion to her hometown that is unmatched. Straight out of high school, Mawhirter began working as the Marketing Director for the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development. While working there, she completed her degree in Organizational leadership at Fort Hays State University. Utilizing her passion for growing Great Bend, she then moved on to work as the Physician Recruiter and Marketing Director for the hospital in town. Her savvy marketing skills led her to begin doing side work for other businesses. Knowing she could make an even greater impact on Great Bend, she took a leap of faith in the fall of 2016 and went out on her own to start Marketing Maven.
Nels Lindberg, owner of Animal Medical Center, had this to say about Mawhirter: “We began working with Rachel on marketing objectives when she was doing this as a side hustle. And it didn’t take long to realize she had the “mojo”, the traits and behaviors of what it takes to get it done and be very successful. We like to surround ourselves and collaborate with rock stars, people willing to work longer, harder and smarter than all others, people that are willing to sacrifice and grind until the job gets done. Rachel does these things. Sometimes it comes at a price and family even suffers, but it’s what true entrepreneurs do when they are in the bootstrap phase of a business cycle. Rachel exemplifies these things. She is willing to go above and beyond to get the job done, take criticism and have hard conversations and respond well. Her level of service is spectacular and her desire to make change, impact lives, help businesses look good, and to help grow business, non-profits and charities is evident by outcomes and results. We are super proud of her, her family, her people and her business!”
Not only is Mawhirter a business leader in the community, her desire to make Great Bend a better place for everyone, drives her to give back in a huge way. She is one of the founding members of the Prairie Godmother Funds, a program to provide grants that improve the health and well-being of Barton County women. Mawhirter was also instrumental in launching 100 People Who Care-Barton County and The Tribe. She continues to volunteer her time for both organizations. She has also served on the steering committees for the local Mothers of Preschoolers organization and Barton County Young Professionals.
Rachel and her husband Justin, live in Great Bend with their two sons – Jace (7) and Emmett (4). They are active, involved members of First Assembly of God Church and love spending time with family and friends.
