Mazergroup, late founder honoured at Iowa event

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This article was published 07/08/2025 (240 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mazergroup, a Brandon-based family-owned agricultural equipment dealership, has earned the distinguished 2025 Farm Equipment Dealership of the Year award, presented by Farm Equipment magazine.

The recognition was accompanied by a deeply emotional moment for the company as its founder, Bob Mazer, was posthumously inducted into the Farm Equipment Hall of Fame during the same ceremony in Iowa City, Iowa, recently.

The dealership of the year award, now in its 21st year, honours agricultural equipment dealers that demonstrate excellence in operational management, customer care and innovative practices. Mazer Group received the Large Complex award — one of two annual honours given — recognizing operations with multiple locations. Mazergroup currently operates 18 locations across Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

The dual recognition is significant to the company and its employees, Mazer’s son Jon told the Sun.

“Both the dealership of the year award and dad’s hall of fame induction were awarded before his passing,” he said. “We learned about them at the beginning of May. Receiving them now means the world to everyone at Mazergroup — it’s a tribute to dad’s legacy and the collective effort of our entire team.”

Jon, alongside his brother Andrew Mazer and senior executives, was present at the ceremony in Iowa City to receive the awards on behalf of the company. The delegation included Chris Finley (VP of parts and service), Karen McDonald (VP of people and culture), Brad Tarr (VP of sales and marketing), and Wally Butler (chief financial officer).

The recognition is a collective effort of all stakeholders, Butler told the Sun.

“This is a recognition of the organization that Bob built,” he said. “It’s a testament to the hard work, focus, and passion of Mazergroup’s 420 employees, and to our purpose — serving customers, supporting our team, and strengthening our community.”

The recognition comes just weeks after the passing of Bob Mazer. A pioneer in Western Canada’s farm equipment industry, Bob Mazer founded Mazergroup with a commitment to personalized customer service, innovation, and rural community engagement.

“Dad would have said the award isn’t about him,” Jon added. “It’s about every single person who works here and works hard every day to make sure our customers are looked after. That’s the standard he set, and that’s the standard we’ll continue to uphold.”

The dealership of the year honour was especially poignant given the volume of competition. According to Butler, more than 50 dealerships from across North America were nominated for the 2025 award by peers, employees and customers.

Looking ahead, both Jon and Butler reaffirmed the company’s mission to build upon its achievements.

“We’re always striving to do more,” said Jon. “This recognition doesn’t mark a finish line — it’s motivation. We’ll continue to grow and serve our farmers and our communities, just like Dad would’ve wanted.”

“Improving our customer experience remains at the heart of everything we do,” Butler said. “This award is not an endpoint— it’s a springboard.”

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