Thomas Lansford Foster Biography-2
Thomas L. Foster Career
Thomas began as a salesman at the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1919, and spent his entire career there. Baldwin was a pioneering producer of locomotives (beginning in 1832), and was the world's largest manufacturer of steam locomotives through WW2. As an Export Sales executive, Thomas Foster focused his post-WW2 efforts on overseas locomotive sales.
In 1948, Thomas was elected President of the Foreign Traders Association of Philadelphia; under his leadership, Philadelphia manufacturers worked with Washington to re-establish export sales to war-torn Europe via the Marshall Plan.
As grandson Neill Thompson reminisced, "... I remember that gavel. I have no idea where it has gotten to but it was a part of my childhood. It too was engraved with the name of the association on a silver band around the head. I remember my mother telling me about how her father had somewhat surprisingly risen to this position in his professional organization and that he had read Dale Carnegie's book "How To Make Friends And Influence People" to hone his people skills...."
Thomas married Elinor Mary Van Buskirk in 1921; they had two children -- Thomas Lansford Foster Jr. and Katharine Foster [Thompson].
Thomas died in 1956 at age 61.