In 1947, a young veterinarian purchased one thousand rat cages from a Virginia farm and set up a one-man laboratory in Boston, overlooking the Charles River. In an effort to fulfill the regional need for laboratory animal models, he bred, fed and cared for the animals and personally delivered them to local researchers. Today, Charles River looks like a very different company, but in realizing Dr. Henry Foster’s vision, we remain committed to collaboration, responsibility and leadership within the global research community.