Careers Investor Relations Education & Training Portal Logins CONTACT PRODUCTS & SERVICES SPECIALTY EXPERTISE CUSTOMER SUPPORT ABOUT US ABOUT US Who We Are Corporate Social Responsibility Eureka Science Community Investor Relations News & Events Careers News & Events News & Events Featured Stories Media Coverage Press Releases Conferences Press Resources Celebrating 70 Years Jun 06 2017 When Dr. Henry Foster began the company in 1947, he had little more than 1,000 rat cages and a personal mission to support local researchers in their quest for a cure. Driven to create a new standard for laboratory animal models, the young veterinarian single-handedly bred, fed, and cared for the animals he personally delivered to his clients’ laboratories. Their demand fueled what eventually became Charles River Breeding Laboratories. This May, James C. Foster celebrated his father’s legacy by ringing the opening bell at the NYSE in recognition of the company’s 70th anniversary. As Charles River’s current Chairman, President, and CEO, Jim Foster has shepherded the company into the 21st century with a faithful commitment to his father’s vision to advance human health by supporting research. James C. Foster, Chairman, President & CEO, is on hand to open the market at the New York Stock Exchange. (Photo Credit: NYSE) Now a global contract research organization with more than 11,000 employees in 70 facilities around the world, Charles River continues to grow and evolve, keeping pace with the ever-changing landscape of today’s drug development. Our tagline, “Every Step of the Way,” is truly a reflection of our end-to-end support of the drug development continuum. In addition to organic growth of the animal model and diagnostics business to include genetically engineered model services and vivarium management, the company has capitalized on this rich history of scientific excellence to expand into drug discovery, safety assessment, clinical support, and manufacturing support. Serving academia, small biotech startup firms, big pharma, and industrial and agrochemical companies around the world, Charles River continues to focus on improving quality of life by helping to identify and develop compounds that prevent, treat, and cure disease. So what’s next for one of the world’s leading CROs? According to Jim Foster, Charles River will continue its strategic growth with the aim of being closer to its clients, filling in gaps to further increase support and match services to anticipate and meet changing needs. “Responsiveness is everything,” he says. “We’re only as good as our last project. For us to be doing what we’re doing, we have to be good at what we do. We want our clients to treat us like we’re them, like our employees are theirs.” This, he says, is the mark of a trusted, valued partner who believes that together, we can improve lives. You may also be interested in... Who We Are At Charles River, we are passionate about our role in improving the quality of people’s lives. See what this means for you. Our Commitment to Animal Welfare The welfare of the animals contributing to research is of utmost importance and a prerequisite for the accuracy, reliability, and translatability of our research. Corporate Social Responsibility Every day, each of us strives to make a difference, and we recognize that our responsibility to improve people’s lives extends beyond therapeutic cures to our planet and the communities where we live and work. Contact Us Our experts are available to answer any questions or discuss a quote. From: North America Europe Asia Other Call us at: 1.877.CRIVER.1 (1.877.274.8371) EMAIL US Receive the latest news and insights in your inbox: SIGN UP » Careers Press Resources Investor Relations Legal Compliance Policies Connect with Us: RSS Twitter Facebook LinkedIn YouTube © 2021 Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Products & Services Research Models & Services Drug Discovery Safety Assessment Biologics Testing Solutions Microbial Solutions Avian Vaccine Services Chemicals, Agro & Vet Insourcing Solutions Therapeutic Areas Cardiovascular Central Nervous System Inflammation Metabolic Disease Musculoskeletal Disease Oncology Ophthalmology Respiratory Disease Contact Us Locations Initiate a Project News & Events What's New at Charles River Education & Training Eureka Science Blog