Jeremy Laster, president of Rancho Mission Viejo LLC, says there are some perks to holding a top executive job.
“People laugh at my jokes and answer my phone calls now! Ha,” he joked to the Business Journal.
Laster, president since 2022, recently became chief executive officer of the 143-year-old company, which won a Business Journal Family-Owned Business Award last year.
“He has already proven to be one of Orange County’s great business leaders, and we are confident in his leadership as he guides the company into its next chapter,” said Don Vodra, vice chairman of The Rancho Mission Viejo (RMV) board, in a news release.
Laster will now oversee all parts of the family-owned company, from community development and land management to ranching, farming and commercial investments, company officials said.
He steps into the chief executive role while executive chairman Tony Moiso continues to shape the company’s long-term vision. The property has been in the hands of the Moiso, O’Neill and Avery families since 1882.
The Next Chapter
The leadership change comes at an important time for the 23,000-acre Rancho Mission Viejo community, known as The Ranch, as development reaches the midway point and enters its later stages.
The Ranch, one of the last master-planned developments in Orange County, has already built several communities, like Ladera Ranch and newer villages such as Rienda, where over 1,500 homes have sold since 2022.
When finished, the plan includes about 14,000 homes and around 5 million square feet of nonresidential space.
Officials previously told the Business Journal that about 5,000 to 6,000 homes have already been built.
“As we look ahead, over the next 15 to 20 years, we can see the finish line of The Ranch plan,” Laster said in an interview. “There is a significant amount of transition ahead… and an opportunity to help craft the next chapter of the Rancho Mission Viejo story.”
The company has long operated under a balance of development and conservation, with roughly 75% of its land or roughly 17,000 acres, preserved as open space and the remainder planned for housing and commercial uses.
Laster said keeping that balance remains a key part of the company’s strategy, and he’s proud of its ongoing work with The Nature Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo.
Housing Affordability
Laster also takes on the CEO role at a time when housing is more challenging, and affordability is a major concern for buyers.
It’s an issue that remains “at the forefront of our minds, and we think about it every day,” he said.
“Each decision we make takes affordability into account and we consistently ask ourselves,
‘How will this impact affordability?’ We have to!” he said.
He added that the company is exploring a mix of approaches, from smaller and more efficient home designs to emerging technologies that could reduce costs over time.
He said they are also working on other affordability ideas they believe could be game changers.
“Stay tuned,” he teased.
A Company Man
Even with the size of the company, Laster says the personal side of the work is what motivates him most.
Laster and his family live in Rancho Mission Viejo, and he commutes to work, passing through another part of The Ranch.
He said watching daily life in the neighborhoods the company helped build and its impact, from families enjoying a day at the parks to kids going to school, reminds him of the purpose behind their work.
“I want people to love living in Rancho Mission Viejo and be proud that they live here,” Laster said. “I want residents to recommend it to their friends and family.”
For Laster, who started as a project manager in 2001, this promotion is both a milestone and an opportunity to continue building on his and the company’s work.
“It seems like just yesterday I was the youngest person at every meeting,” he said. “Now, I’ve been around the longest.”
