IRG and PREP Funds Welcome Powerhouse Company PROtect to Wichita Business Park
The City's Fourth Largest Revenue Producer Prepares to Relocate
National Headquarters, Warehouse Operations to State-of-the-Art Facility
WICHITA, Kan., Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial Realty Group, LLC ("IRG"), one of the country's largest owners of commercial and industrial properties, and PREP Funds, a dedicated real estate fund management and advisory firm, are proud to announce PROtect as the lead tenant for Wichita Business Park in 2026 under a long-term lease agreement.
PROtect, a national provider of safety, reliability, and compliance services and the fourth largest revenue producer in the city of Wichita, will consolidate and expand its corporate headquarters and Wichita operations center. The company plans to streamline operations from these two locations to a more efficient 41,698 sq. ft, state-of-the-art space within the redevelopment project—an operations center serving industrial customers in Wichita and the surrounding areas.
"Wichita Business Park provided a blank canvas for PROtect to design a custom space at an iconic Wichita site. It is the right location to support our nationwide goals," said Nathan VanderGriend, Chief Executive Officer of PROtect. "Our objective is to be an integral part of the site's resurgence while expanding our ongoing growth momentum. Founded in Wichita, PROtect is proud to continue growing at home. IRG and PREP Funds are the perfect partners to make that happen."
Towne West Square Mall was acquired by IRG and PREP Funds in early 2025. The development team quickly began executing their conversion plans, creating a 591,893 sq ft. multi-tenant campus and marketing the space to potential tenants who would set the tone for its next chapter.
"We could see right away that PROtect would be a great fit as Wichita Business Park's flagship tenant. This facility will help showcase both their company and our vision for the site," said Chris Salata, Partner with PREP Funds. "We spent several months designing and planning with PROtect to create a space that will make their operations efficient and help fuel their growth."
Throughout the U.S., PROtect supports its clients from incidents, unplanned downtime, and regulatory non-compliance issues. Their industry focus is refining, petrochemical, renewable fuels, manufacturing, food and beverage, fertilizer, oil & gas, and more.
With 22 locations and over 750 employees nationwide, Wichita Business Park's location provides geographic benefits to PROtect, who is rapidly scaling up and needs space to support the company now and into the future.
"We've had an excellent experience with the development team. They helped us create an economically feasible plan and the result will be a beautiful, collaborative space that allows us to bring together our Corporate Headquarters and one of our largest operations offices in the country into the same building," said David Friedberg, PROtect's Chief Financial Officer.
In August, PROtect announced a partnership with sentin GmbH, a German based company specializing in AI-driven inspection automation, which made them the first North American inspection provider to offer comprehensive AI-powered inspections.
IRG and PREP Funds believe the addition of this cutting-edge technology tenant will help attract additional tenants to the 26-acre project, which has flexible zoning, superior logistical positioning and customizable design options.
"We're in discussion with multiple tenants and hope to have more announcements in the near future," said Peter Goffstein, Executive Vice President at IRG.
Grant Glasgow, President at NAI Martens and Scott Salome Senior Vice President at NAI Martens represented the tenant and the landlord in this transaction.
For more information about leasing options, visit NAI's website.
About IRG
IRG is a nationwide real estate development and investment firm specializing in the acquisition, development and management of commercial and industrial real estate throughout the United States. IRG, through its affiliated partnerships and limited liability companies, operates a portfolio containing over 150 properties in 31 states with over 100 million square feet of rentable space. IRG is nationally recognized as a leading force behind the adaptive reuse of commercial and industrial real estate, solving some of America's most difficult real estate challenges. Learn more at www.industrialrealtygroup.com
About PREP Funds
PREP Funds is a commercial real estate fund management and advisory firm. Founded in 2020, PREP Funds focuses on acquisition and development strategies across healthcare, industrial, and retail. PREP Funds is a manager and sponsor of real estate investment funds across sectors with durable fundamental tailwinds. This includes a $100MM value-add opportunities fund that invests in industrial and retail redevelopment projects that meet desired criteria allowing for a transformation of existing properties to enhance value and functionality. Learn more at www.prepfunds.net.
About PROtect
PROtect is a leading national provider of safety, reliability, and compliance services. Serving a diverse array of industries including refining, petrochemical, renewable fuels, manufacturing, food & beverage, fertilizer, and oil & gas, the company's foundation is built on decades of practical expertise. They specialize in protecting companies from unnecessary risks related to employee injury, property damage, liability, unplanned downtime, and regulatory non-compliance. PROtect is committed to providing best-in-class solutions. PROtect is owned by Sterling Investment Partners, a private equity firm based in Connecticut.
Media Contact:
Lauren Crumrine | Vice President of Marketing | IRG
614-562-9252
lcrumrine@industrialrealtygroup.com
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SOURCE Industrial Realty Group, LLC