New NAI Sioux Falls president anticipates growing firm, solid year

Feb. 25, 2026

The new president of NAI Sioux Falls anticipates a strong year ahead for the commercial real estate market and continued opportunities for his growing team.

Marcus Mahlen was named leader of NAI Sioux Falls, which offers commercial brokerage and commercial property management services, in late 2025.

Mahlen joined the organization in 2017 as a commercial real estate broker. He said he sees the promotion to president as “part of the natural evolution” of what happens when someone tends to say “yes” to leadership opportunities.

“In firms like ours … you have to have that face and voice of the company, and it just kind of became apparent over time that was me, so it was a natural step for me.”

He succeeds Troy Fawcett as president. Fawcett, Mahlen and Gregg Brown are partners in the Sioux Falls office, which is affiliated with the broader NAI Global Network commercial brokerage firm.

“This is our 27th year in business, and I’m looking at it as what I’m going to do the next 30 years,” Mahlen said.

Mahlen’s promotion to president “feels like a natural progression,” said Scott Erickson, president and CEO of American Bank & Trust, who has worked with him for years.

“He challenges himself and his team to think beyond the transaction and to lead conversations that shape the future of Sioux Falls real estate,” he said.

“One of the things I value most about Marcus is that he listens first, then brings forward solutions that actually fit the business. NAI has supported us through multiple transactions over the years, and Marcus has been instrumental in helping us navigate the brokerage side. He’s the kind of leader who elevates the entire experience.”

The bank has worked with NAI on site selection, lease negotiations, land acquisition and disposition, as well as property management.

Mahlen’s community involvement stands out, Erickson added.

He has served as chair of the Harrisburg Economic Development Corporation for three years and is incoming chair of Sioux Metro Growth Alliance, along with serving on the South Dakota Historical Society Foundation board and as a member of Downtown Sioux Falls Rotary. He is a past SiouxFalls.Business 30 Under 30 recipient.

He and his wife, Alexis, who also is a commercial real estate broker, co-host the podcast “Behind the Business: Founders in the 605” that highlights local entrepreneurs who have helped build strong companies and shape the community.

“That combination of strategic insight and community-minded leadership is rare, and it helps to set Marcus apart,” Erickson said.

The NAI Sioux Falls team has grown to 13 full-time brokers and two part-time brokers, with a total staff of 30.

New additions include broker Clayton Haug, who joined the firm in 2025 and brings more than 20 years of commercial construction management experience. Commercial property management also has been a center of growth for the firm.

That means the office at 2500 W. 49th St. is “busting” and makes it likely that “we’ll need to expand to a new location in the next few years,” Mahlen said. “We had a good year. Our numbers came back significantly better than we even expected with a very strong end-of-the-year finish and one of the biggest sales months — December 2025 — in firm history.”

The year ahead “is shaping up pretty strong,” he added. “We’ve already got a handful of closings underway and a handful of exciting listings.”

The post New NAI Sioux Falls president anticipates growing firm, solid year appeared first on SiouxFalls.Business.