Company Profile
Foster Electric offers our customers expertise in the following areas:
Residential/Small Contractors
Industrial - Commercial/Large Contractors
Industrial Maintenance/Repair/Operations (MRO)
Industrial OEM Sales/Service
About Us
From our present 45,000 square foot facility we are able to offer electrical sales and delivery service throughout central Virginia and the surrounding areas. We offer same day shipping within the continental US.
As Foster Electric is an independent business we feel that we are in close contact with the needs of our customers, and are able to offer them the value-added services of a full line distributor. Since our founding in 1956, Foster Electric continues to offer FAST delivery/shipping at VERY competitive prices.
Foster Electric is committed to providing our customers with the highest quality of service and goods. This creed has been central to the success of Foster Electric, and we realize the importance of maintaining such a standard.
Our History
Foster Electric was founded in 1956 by Mr. Aubrey E. Foster, Sr. (1919-2008). At that time, he was the sole employee; and the business was located in the garage at his residence. Mr. Foster would arise at 4:30 – 5:00 AM each morning and load his vehicle for the day’s deliveries and customer sales. Having completed his rounds by 5:00 – 6:00 PM, he would arrive home to start his office duties: writing up customer orders, invoicing sales, receiving remittances and making deposits, ordering merchandise from manufactures, receiving materials and sorting customer orders for the next day’s business. As you can imagine, his was a very busy schedule. But, in addition to all his business duties, he still found time for his family, church and community commitments.
In 1958, due to increasing business and a need for a storefront, Foster Electric moved to a downtown location at 707 Fifth Street, Lynchburg, Virginia. In the spring of 1959, Aubrey E. "Gene" Foster, Jr., joined his father in "helping out" while a sophomore in high school. Within a few months time, two full time employees and a part time bookkeeper were added.
By the summer of 1965, having outgrown its second location, it was necessary to move to a larger facility at 1500 Campbell Avenue, Lynchburg, Virginia. Now Foster Electric was better able to serve their customers with a 14,000 square foot building and seven employees. It was at this time that Gene Foster joined the company as a full time employee. In 1968, after completing a tour of duty with the US Army, Dan White joined Foster Electric.
In 1982 the location of our present facility, the office and warehouse complex at 1420 Campbell Avenue, became vacant; and Foster Electric was able to acquire this much needed space. From its beginnings in a residential garage to today’s remodeled facility of 45,000 square feet, a staff of over 32 employees stand ready to help you with all of your electrical equipment needs.
Mr. Aubrey E. Foster, Sr., (1919-2008) was the founder of Foster Electric. Today, Foster Electric Co., Inc. is an employee owned company (ESOP) lead by Company President, Duane White.