Updated July 11, 2025.
Mazergroup equipment dealerships in Manitoba and Saskatchewan are marking the loss of one of their foundational guiding hands.
Robert (Bob) Mazer, Mazergroup’s long-time president and chief executive officer, passed away July 6 after a battle with cancer, the company said in a social media post July 8.
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The “agricultural community lost a true industry pioneer,” the Facebook post read.
Mazer began farming at 17 and went to work with his father at the family’s agricultural equipment dealership, then dubbed Mazer Implements, in Brandon, Man., at the age of 18.
His “combined dedication and hard work laid the foundation for what would become one of Canada’s leading agricultural equipment dealers,” a timeline on the company’s website reads.
The company expanded significantly, starting in 1994. In 2009, their now multiple locations rebranded under the Mazergroup name. Today, the company boasts 18 locations in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Mazer accumulated industry awards and accolades over his decades in business. He was named Brandon’s Businessperson of the Year in 1998. In 2016, Mazergroup earned the Brandon Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Award. In 2024, Mazergroup was named Dealership of the Year, the company’s July 8 post read.
This year, Mazer was among the 2025 inductees to the Farm Equipment Dealership Hall of Fame.
“Bob’s commitment to his community extended well beyond the dealership,” the July 8 post read. “Over the years, he contributed to numerous local initiatives and organizations…Mazergroup’s future is bright because of the strong foundation Bob built.”
Passion for education
Mazer was a long-time supporter of Assiniboine College in his home city. He formerly served as the chair of the college’s board of governors, took charge of many fundraising campaigns for the school and received an honorary diploma in 2010.
He was also the namesake for the Mazergroup Mainstreet at the college’s Len Evans Centre for Trades and Technology.
“Most of all, though, he was a passionate advocate for post-secondary education and a dedicated community leader whose impact will be felt for generations,” Assiniboine College said in another Facebook post July 8.
Mazer remembered as ‘industry pioneer’
Mazer’s loss was marked by Manitoba politicians and fellow industry leaders.
Mazer was a “champion of agriculture” and a “true industry pioneer,” said Jill Verwey, president of the Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP).
Verwey extended condolences to Mazer’s family, friends and colleagues on behalf of KAP.
“Through his leadership at Mazergroup, he helped transform the agricultural equipment supporting excellence in farm operations. Bob’s dedication to the ag industry, his commitment to community service and generous philanthropy have left a remarkable legacy,” she said.
On July 7, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew offered condolences to Mazer’s family, friends and colleagues on social media.
“Bob was a great Manitoban who helped to make Westman and our province a better place,” Kinew wrote. “His legacy will live on with Mazergroup, in the ag industry, and through his philanthropy. He will be missed!”
Grant Jackson, MP for Brandon-Souris, offered similar sentiments.
In a Facebook post, Jackson called Mazer a “pillar of the Brandon community whose impact will be felt for generations.”
“Bob’s lifelong dedication to agriculture, education, and community service made him a true leader and mentor in southwestern Manitoba,” he posted July 8.
The North American Equipment Dealers Association called Mazer “a respected leader in the equipment industry whose vision, dedication , and passion helped shape on of Canada’s most successful dealership groups.”
“His commitment to excellence and his lasting contributions to the agricultural community will not be forgotten,” the association said, also over social media.
Obby Khan, the leader of the Official Opposition, said Mazer was a household name in Prairie agriculture.
“Through his lifelong dedication to farming and training future industry leaders, his influence in Manitoba agriculture and businesses will live on,” Khan said in a post to X July 7.
