Laurie Foster

Laurie Foster brings a strong background of academics, consulting and entrepreneurship to Business Consulting Resources (BCR). After earning a B.A. in economics and an MBA from Stanford University, Foster launched a 15-year consulting career on the East Coast with Bain & Company and Mercer Management Consulting. She managed client engagements ranging from $1 million to $5 million that were focused on strategic planning, organization development and infrastructure alignment in a variety of industries worldwide, including energy, hotel and leisure, financial services and transportation.

Foster returned to her home on Oahu in the mid-1990s to pursue entrepreneurial ventures with smaller companies and startup ventures. Those ventures include being founder and president of Brewmoon Hawaii; CEO of hotU Inc., an internet services startup; vice president of National University; and COO of It’s All About Kids. In these positions, she has raised private equity capital, negotiated leases and built out properties, formulated and implemented market positioning strategies, developed new product lines, re-engineered service delivery processes, formed and managed employee teams, downsized employee teams in difficult times and acquired and merged companies. Street smart, Foster knows the challenges and satisfaction of entrepreneurship.

At BCR, Foster works with Hawaii CEOs and senior management teams in leadership and governance, strategic planning and organizational effectiveness, with an emphasis on implementation and change management. She leads BCR's Family Business Consulting practice and has had extensive experience consulting and working with family businesses in Hawaii. This includes working on family business strategy and operations as well as addressing the unique challenges of family dynamics in family-owned enterprises. Succession planning, family board governance, family business constitution development, family member coaching and working with estate planners and financial advisors are all areas of focus.

Foster’s strong corporate experience, coupled with her entrepreneurial experience, provides valuable perspectives for companies and institutions at all phases of growth.

Foster has also been actively engaged in local boards, including Hawaii Pacific Health, American Red Cross Hawaii, the Hogan Entrepreneur Advisory Board at Chaminade University, the Hawaii Theatre Centre and the Waikiki Swim Club. She was also the board chair for YWCA Oahu for eight years. She is currently serving on the board of the Outrigger Canoe Club as its treasurer.