Forty Under 40: John Clayton

Real estate is in John Clayton’s blood. His father was a real estate broker, and so he knew the financial parameters of land, how it works and how to make money from it before he got started in the business.

Clayton thought about law school after graduating from the University of Arkansas in 1993 with a double major in English and French. Instead, he moved to Little Rock to work for Dillard’s Inc. in its executive development program.

He left Dillard’s in 1994 and moved back to his hometown of Fort Smith with his wife and went into the residential and commercial real estate business. In 1995, Clayton started to do commercial leasing for Warmack & Co., which owns several regional malls.

Clayton went to work at ERC in 1996 and started out in property management. In 2000, he moved into the development group, and in 2002 he became the executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Since Clayton, 33, took over the development group, the firm has produced 2,000 apartment buildings, or $100 million to $120 million worth. His desire is for the company to become one of the most profitable multifamily real estate development firms in the nation.

He serves as treasurer on the board of directors for Bost Inc.