Claymark Partners was formed in 2018 by Ryan Bessert, Jeremy Piper and Mark Piper. The name Claymark originates from the names of their grandfathers. Clarence Bessert and Mark H. Piper II were very successful real estate developers in the mid 1900’s.
Clarence Bessert started in the building business in the Detroit area shortly after WWII. Clarence’s love for the building/development business came from his father, who was a builder late in his life. Because of a shortage of housing after WWII, Clarence built over 100 homes in the Roseville, Michigan area with FHA financing, and Bessert Builders was off and running. In the ensuing years, Bessert Builders built custom homes and developed several subdivisions on the East side of Detroit, and all of the Grosse Pointe areas. He also built many flats and apartments in Grosse Pointe, some off which are still owned by the Bessert family today.
Mark H Piper II was born in Flint Michigan in 1915. He graduated from Flint Central High School and Albion College. He returned to Flint and joined Piper Realty immediately after college. Starting in the 1950’s he entered the apartment business in Flint. He developed multi-family projects in Genesee County including Orchard Lane, Westgate Terrace, Westwood Apartments, Hunters Ridge Apartments and Huntington Circle.
Today the legacy continues with Claymark Partners.
Meet the Team
Ryan Bessert
Ryan is a principal of Claymark Partners and oversees investment analysis, acquisition and asset management. He has more than 20 years of experience in real estate investing, finance and asset management and believes that real estate is the best asset class for long-term wealth protection and growth. Ryan started in the real estate business in 2000 on a full time basis after having spent most of his early childhood in and around the business. After earning a Bachelor degree in Finance from Michigan State University, Ryan has gone on to excel in all aspects of the real estate investing field including family, senior, LIHTC and condo development, management, financing and sales. In addition, Ryan holds the CCIM designation recognizing him as an expert in the disciplines of commercial and investment real estate.
Jeremy Piper
Jeremy is a principal of Claymark Partners and serves as it’s in-house general counsel. Jeremy has over 17 years of experience in real estate law. Jeremy received a degree in political science from Michigan’s Albion College and earned his law degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. He returned to Flint to establish a practice specializing in real estate and business law. A board memberof the Genesee County Bar Association for seven years, he continues to serve as the chair of the association’s District Court Committee. Jeremy is also a trustee of the C.S. Mott Foundation.
