Plaster Family Helped Build Las Vegas

Las Vegas is a city built on bold vision and big dreams. From its humble beginnings as a desert outpost to its rise as a dynamic global city, Las Vegas has always rewarded ambition, resilience and imagination. Among the families who have helped shape this extraordinary growth, few have had a more enduring impact than the Plaster family — founders of Signature Homes. 

Richard Plaster’s journey to Las Vegas began across the Atlantic. Born in England in 1947, he immigrated to Toronto, Canada, at the age of 4. After seven years, his family was granted a U.S. green card, and they moved to California when Richard was 11. He would go on to earn a degree from Stanford University and an MBA from UC Berkeley — equipping him with both the intellectual foundation and entrepreneurial drive to build something lasting. 

After getting married In 1974, Richard, began his career in Las Vegas as a sales manager for Lewis Homes, gaining critical experience in a rapidly expanding housing market. Just six years later, in 1978, he and his wife, Wendy, founded the Plaster Development Company, later known by its trade name, Signature Homes.. 

By the early 1990s, Signature Homes had become one of the Top 100 Builders in the United States, constructing more than 700 homes and condominiums annually to reach that milestone. Over the years, the company has developed communities across the entire Las Vegas Valley — from Summerlin to the east side, Henderson to Nellis Air Force Base, and the southwest to downtown. Wherever the city has grown, the Plaster family has helped shape its residential landscape. 

Signature Homes has built nearly 13,000 residences, always with a focus on quality, craftsmanship and thoughtful design. In addition to single-family homes and custom luxury properties, the company has also developed a range of apartment communities, expanding access to quality housing for renters across the valley. These multifamily projects — designed with the same attention to detail and livability — underscore the family’s commitment to building for all stages of life and contributing to the city’s evolving housing needs. 

Complementing this success is the work of Signature Management, the company responsible for managing the apartment communities developed by the Plaster family. Today, Signature Management oversees more than 1,300 homes and apartments across the Las Vegas Valley. In recent years, the company has also acquired and renovated several properties, restoring and modernizing them while continuing to foster vibrant, livable communities. These efforts reflect the family’s ongoing commitment to community development, revitalization and long-term stewardship.

Now, led by Brian Plaster, president of Signature Management and broker of Signature Realty, the family’s second generation is carrying the legacy forward — maintaining the high standards established nearly 50 years ago while evolving to meet the needs of a changing city. 

The Plaster family’s influence extends far beyond real estate. Their deep commitment to philanthropy — especially in the arts and education — has had a profound impact on Las Vegas. Longtime supporters and board members of Nevada Ballet Theatre, the family has helped expand the organization’s reach, elevate its performances, and fund education initiatives that bring classical dance to underserved communities. 

Family members were founders of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, have served on the board of The Meadows School and continue to support organizations like HomeAid Southern Nevada, Habitat for Humanity and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This civic leadership reflects a deeply held belief that strong communities are built not only with bricks and mortar, but with compassion, creativity and care. 

Their leadership in the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association — with Richard Plaster serving as president in 1989 and Signature Homes President Rick Barron in 2021 — demonstrates a continued dedication to responsible development and raising industry standards. 

Central to the company’s success are the enduring relationships it has built over the decades. Many employees and trade partners have been with the company for over 35 years — a testament to a culture rooted in trust, loyalty and shared purpose. 

As Las Vegas looks to the future, Signature Homes and Signature Management remain focused on innovation, sustainability and neighborhood design that reflects the needs of the next generation. 

Las Vegas is more than a destination. It’s a city of possibility, shaped by those who believe in its future. For nearly five decades, the Plaster family has believed deeply. From humble beginnings to transformative impact, they have helped build this city — one home, one neighborhood, one community at a time.