Entrepreneur John R. Rausch is the Chairman and CEO of Rausch Companies, one of the nation’s premiere real estate development companies. He started his journey in this industry when he was only eight years old, shadowing his grandfather and veteran home builder Ernest R. “Buddy” Coleman. It was in these formative years that Mr. Rausch learned that integrity, excellence, and exceptional service are cornerstones of success in business and in life.
When Mr. Rausch was 18 years old, he built his first house and he and his grandfather launched Rausch Coleman Homes in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. With the shared value of “second mile” service, together they led the company through expansion into Northwest Arkansas and Little Rock, as well as Tulsa and Oklahoma City. In 2006, Mr. Rausch became president and CEO of Rausch Coleman Homes and over the years continued expanding the operations to reach a seven-state footprint.
As the land development and home building business continued its growth, Mr. Rausch launched additional companies. EnergyWorks, an exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of oil and gas assets, was created in 2008. American Residential Group (ARG) was formed in 2016 as a single family residential rental company. Today, ARG’s portfolio includes more than 1,000 homes and has expanded into multi-family residential, building its first apartment community in Fayetteville, AR in 2025. Mr. Rausch also formed LTS Engineering in 2023 to provide engineering services for land development activities.
In 2025, Builder 100 listed Rausch Coleman homes as the 19th largest homebuilder and the 3rd largest privately-held homebuilder in the U.S., building 5,000+ homes a year. The growing portfolio and reputation for operational excellence attracted an offer from Lennar, the second largest homebuilder in the country, to purchase Rausch Coleman Homes and the sale was completed in early 2025.
Mr. Rausch launched The Calara Group in January 2025, a full-service real estate development company specializing in transforming land into thriving master planned communities. He continues to also be very active in Energy Works, ARG, and LTS – all Rausch Companies.
A native Arkansan, Mr. Rausch was born and raised in Fort Smith and proudly attended Southern Methodist University (SMU) where he received a bachelor’s in business administration majoring in real estate finance. He is an active member of his local church, a board member of the Ft. Smith Boys and Girls Club, and a member of the National Association of Home Builders, the National Association of Realtors, and the YPO. He is also a pilot and an Eagle Scout.
Most importantly, Mr. Rausch is a proud husband and father of three children.
