Photography by Robert Merhaut Bow Tie Strategies

Rusty Foster (33)

Rusty Foster knows the importance of giving back to his local community. He’s a native of Leesburg and has watched it grow from a sleepy small town to a D.C. suburb over the past 33 years. “We have the best of both worlds here: the historic small town that draws tourists, but also the modern technological capabilities that draw Fortune 500 companies,” Foster says. That sense of hometown pride is why Foster, along with his public relations company, Bow Tie Strategies, works hard to promote Leesburg art, music and culture at a price local companies can afford. “We focus on the smaller to mid-sized business that need the services of a larger public affairs firm but don’t have the resources to hire them,” Foster explains. Foster also serves on the Leesburg Commission on Public Arts, the Loudoun County Family Services Advisory Board, the Friends of Homeless Animals, the Leadership Team for the Hampden-Sydney College Alumni Association and volunteers at the Friends of Loudoun Mental Health and the YMCA Loudoun County. “I remain active in my community because it’s the right thing to do to pay it forward,” he says. “Our local governments can only do so much to support different entities, so it’s up to our local nonprofits to help fill the void where possible.” The main reason why Foster contributes so much of his time to Leesburg is because he feels like the community has contributed so much to him. “Leesburg helped to shape me into who I am today,” he says. “I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

(June 2015)