Our History
HISTORY
The Lester Group, Inc. started Fortress Door Company in 2016. Lester Group hired a team of very experienced door manufacturers. The employees of Fortress Door have over 100 years of experience in the industry.
Rick Finall, plant manager for Masonite, has the same position with Fortress. Finall, a native of King George, Va., has 37 years’ experience in manufacturing wood doors.
“Rick is a talented manager,” said board member, Jim O’Brien. “He comes highly recommended. He and his team will continue in place with a well-earned reputation of providing outstanding customer service.”
The plant pre-finishes doors with an environmentally safe paint system, said O’Brien. “That feature will appeal to many companies in the industry who are green building advocates. Also, Fortress Door Co. will be able to match any custom finishing color.“ Our team takes pride in the quality of our craftsmanship, customer service and quick delivery
The Commercial Division sells doors from Pennsylvania to Georgia. Our team of experienced employees use their skills and the finest equipment available to produce doors to your exact specifications. Fortress Door Company looks forward to exceeding your door needs.
MISSION STATEMENT
Fortress Door Company is a leader in building customer loyalty and successes by combining teamwork, exceptional service, innovation, and professionalism balanced with quality, trust and integrity
CORPORATE VALUES
- We operate with honesty, integrity and respect.
- We believe in earning a fair and reasonable profit.
- We share time, service and resources within each community we serve.
- We provide training and development to ensure the growth and success of our company.
- We offer service driven response to our customers by exceeding expectations.
- We embrace the importance of employee ownership (ESOP) and accountability.
- Quality provided—Setting the standard by which all others are measured.
- We encourage a fun and innovative workplace that recognize and reward our customers and employees.
- We empower our employees to make decisions that continue improvement critical to our growth.
- We believe in Christian values guiding our decisions.
LESTER GROUP FAMILY OF COMPANIES
Lester Building Supply began operations in Martinsville, VA early in the company history.
Jim Carpenter Company began operations in 1955. The facility is now located in Fredericksburg, VA. It became part of the Lester Group in 1974 when Mr. Carpenter retired.
Building Supply of Manassas opened in Manassas, VA in the fall of 2015.
Taylor Brothers began operations in Lynchburg, VA in 1952. This store became part of the Lester Group soon after Mr. Taylor retired in 2006.
New River Valley Building Supply opened in Christiansburg, VA in May 2020.
Lester Forestlands manages over 18,000 acres of timberland from planting, to thinning, to harvesting while maintaining hunt club leases on all tracts.
Lester Properties & Lester Development Corporation manage and develop commercial, retail, residential, and subdivision properties.
The Lester Group
The Lester Group is a diversified company founded in 1896 in Martinsville. Lester’s primary interests are in lumber products and real estate development in Virginia, North Carolina and West Virginia. The Lester Group has owned the Jim Carpenter Co., also in Fredericksburg, VA., since 1974. In addition to the Jim Carpenter Co., Lester has building materials operations in Manassas, Lynchburg, and Martinsville in Virginia and in High Point, Henderson and Elizabeth City in North Carolina.
The Lester Group, Inc. started Fortress Door Company in 2016 in Fredricksburg, VA. Lester Group hired a team of very experienced door manufacturers. The employees of Fortress Door have over 100 years of experience in the industry
The photo to the right shows founder G.T. “Cap’n Til” Lester with his son, the current CEO, George W. Lester, II, in the lumberyard.
Our Team
Rick Finall
