CEO of Iconic Austin Eatery, Kerbey Lane Cafe wins the Greater Austin Business Award for his dedication to improving the lives of workers in the Central Texas region

Mason Ayer may be known around town for dishing out mouthwatering pancakes, but he is also known for his good heart. Recently, the well-established local businessman won the Wells Fargo Executive Leadership Award. The accolade, a category of the Greater Austin Business Awards program, recognizes presidents and executive officers for devoting time and energy to strengthen and transform the organization they lead.

In 2010 Mason left a career as a corporate transactional attorney to join Kerbey Lane Cafe. At that time the company had four locations that were each managed and run independently and a reputation for less than stellar service. While Mason literally grew up in the restaurant industry (his parents founded Kerbey Lane Cafe in 1980, just before he was born), he didn’t have meaningful experience running large organizations. He’d be the first to acknowledge the mistakes he made along the way, but he maintained a core philosophy of finding the most talented people for positions of responsibility, providing clear guidance, and then trusting them to do their jobs. Using this approach, Mason made training and guest service the company’s focal point, while also tackling quality and brand development. By 2012, the hard work started to pay off as Kerbey Lane completed the year with industry-leading profitability, a trend that has continued uninterrupted since that time.

“Kerbey Lane guests certainly noticed the changes that took place when Mason came on as CEO. Under his leadership, team member training and empowerment became an important part of our culture; the changes we've put in place under his guidance offer the tools team members need to achieve more in their career and personal life,” said Amanda Kuda, Director of Marketing for Kerbey Lane Cafe. “By embracing individuals’ skills or abilities, we've created a genuine, transparent, stable environment that lets employees be a part of something bigger than just a job.”

Under Mason’s leadership, Kerbey Lane’s operations have improved significantly. A little over three years ago, the organization implemented Open-Book Management, educating Kerbey Lane’s 600 plus team members on not only how to read and understand financial statements, but also how to impact profitability. The program assigns each team member with responsibility for a line item on the profit and loss statement and allows participating team members an opportunity to participate in a profit sharing plan when goals are met. Moreover, Mason prioritizes the creation of jobs with benefits and learning opportunities unique within the service industry. Whether that’s ensuring all team members are paid above minimum wage, providing health insurance and paid time off, or rewarding long serving team members with a vacation of their choosing, Kerbey Lane Cafe strives to occupy a unique position in the restaurant industry.

Kerbey Lane also refined and focused their corporate responsibility plan under Mason’s leadership. Last year, Kerbey Lane team members contributed more than $37,000 to the United Way for Greater Austin by donating portions of their paycheck. They also provided more than 11,948 meals to individuals in need at the Central Texas Food Bank and supported the Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas by donating proceeds from their “Cakes for a Cure” campaign.

“To me, the true champions are the Kerbey Lane team members,” said Mason Ayer, CEO of Kerbey Lane Cafe. “Each of them never falters in their mission to give each patron the best caring service they possibly can. This in return enables us to better help the community we serve and is one of the reasons Kerbey Lane continues to thrive.”

Mason serves on the board of the United Way for Greater Austin and where he’s chaired the Resource Development Committee for the past three years and will be serving as Board Chair beginning in 2018. He also serves as Chair of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce Local Advocacy Council.

For more information on Kerbey Lane Cafe, visit their website here.

Pictured (left to right): Ellen Wood, Chair of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce; Christopher Kennedy, CEO of Leadership Austin; Suki Steinhauser, CEO of Communities in Schools of Central Texas; David O’Neil, Greater Texas South Region President of Wells Fargo; Paul Hilgers, CEO of the Austin Board of Realtors; Mark Curry, Community Bank President of Wells Fargo; and Mason Ayer, CEO of Kerbey Lane Café.