TBJ to Honor Alumnus Foster, Core Technology as Diversity Leaders

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (April 22, 2025) – Triad Business Journal (TBJ) will honor North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University alumnus Geoff Foster and the company he established and operates, Core Technology Molding Corp., for championing diversity.

TBJ has named Foster one of its eight 2025 Leaders in Diversity, while Core Technology is one of two private companies the magazine is recognizing this year for Outstanding Diversity & Inclusion.

The awards celebrate companies and individuals who have worked to establish and advance diversity and inclusion efforts in their workplaces and communities.

TBJ sought nominations for organizations and individuals who have gone above and beyond to bolster equality across all areas of diversity, including age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race, religion and socio-economic backgrounds. For purposes of the awards, diversity was defined as having people of diverse backgrounds in the workforce and in management. Inclusion means that those diverse people have a voice in the planning and operations of the company or organization and engagement across all levels of the organization.

Foster earned his B.S. in industrial technology in 1990 and M.S. in applied engineering technology in 1996, both from N.C. A&T’s College of Science and Technology, and later earned an MBA from Wake Forest University.

Foster first caught the entrepreneurial spark at AMP, where he managed the Ford Motor Co. account. While working on cutting-edge electrical technology, he developed a novel solution to protect automotive connectors from environmental damage. That innovation earned him a U.S. patent and launched a new chapter in his career. The invention was a hit: AMP sold tens of millions of the connectors to Ford, and Foster found himself presenting across the U.S. and Europe.

After moving to North Durham, North Carolina, to work as an operations manager at Becton Dickinson (now Corning Life Sciences), Foster began thinking more seriously about launching a business of his own. By 2006, he was ready to take the leap and co-founded Core Technology Molding Corp. with his wife, Tonya, a registered nurse who now serves as vice president, overseeing human resources and safety.

Today, Core Technology is a Tier 1 supplier with clients in more than 150 countries serving industries ranging from aerospace and automotive to medical devices and pharmaceuticals. About 85% of its employees represent minorities.

“We don’t lead with diversity. We lead with quality, cost efficiency, on-time delivery and a strong safety record,” said Foster. “Customers recognize our diversity, but they come back because we deliver.”

“You have to be intentional about where and how you recruit,” Foster said. “Some of our best leaders came from engineering design programs. My son Jeremiah, who is now our business development manager, while our quality manager, engineering manager, operations manager, design engineer and systems engineer are all A&T alumni. We recruit widely, but we never lose sight of the talent right in front of us.”

For more than a decade, Foster has served as an adjunct professor in A&T’s Department of Applied Engineering Technology and as faculty advisor to the Society of Plastics Engineers. In 2016, he joined the university’s Board of Visitors, and Core Technology has been recognized as a STEM partner by Guilford County Schools for offering plant tours and open house events for students and families.

Foster was named Minority Small Business Man of the Year by the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce in 2015, received A&T’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2017, and was honored as Ernst & Young’s Southeast Entrepreneur of the Year in 2020. He will receive his latest accolades during a June 12 event at his alma mater.