Ohio Political Coordinator: Charlie Foster
The Ohio REALTORS Federal and State Political Coordinator program provides the industry with a direct link to elected officials in Congress and the Ohio General Assembly. REALTORS serving as Political Coordinators are our point-person on national and state real estate matters, helping to amplify our industry's voice on issues advancing private property rights and our free enterprise system. Political Coordinators participate in an extensive training session each February and visit lawmakers in their offices in Columbus and Washington, D.C., as well as in their districts. If you are interested in serving as a Political Coordinator, please contact Spencer Gross at ">.
Our "Political Coordinator Spotlight" shines on Charlie Foster (right), who serves as the profession's State Political Coordinator for Rep. Brigid Kelly (D-31) pictured on the left. He also serves on the Ohio REALTORS Political Coordinator Advisory Group.
Charlie has been licensed as a real estate agent since 1979. He earned his broker license in 1990. He is affiliated with Steele Real Estate Services, a Cincinnati area residential real estate firm. He holds the CRB (Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager) designation from the Real Estate Business Institute and the GRI (Graduate, REALTORS Institute) designation from Ohio REALTORS. He also holds the AHWD (At Home With Diversity) certification from the National Association of REALTORS.
Since 1986, Charlie has specialized in the education and training of residential real estate licensees. He has held the position of Director of Training and Vice President for Career Development for two Cincinnati area real estate firms, conducted real estate training for a national franchise on a local basis, taught real estate pre-license and post-license courses, and teaches real estate continuing education courses for the Cincinnati Area Board of REALTORS. Since 2019, he is instructing the 20-Hour Post-Licensing Course for Ohio REALTORS.
Charlie has been an active REALTOR throughout his entire career with the Cincinnati Area Board of REALTORS. He has served on at least one committee every year since 1980, chaired five committees, and was honored as their REALTOR-of-the-Year in 1998. He served on the Board of Directors, serving as Second Vice President in 2016 and 2017, and as the 2018 Treasurer. He is currently serving on the Board for a second term, 2020-2022. Since 1985, he has served as a Trustee and Director from the Cincinnati Area Board to Ohio REALTORS, also serving on several of their committees.
Charlie is also active in the Women’s Council of REALTORS, serving as the Cincinnati Area President in 2007 and as Ohio President in 2012. He is also active in the Real Estate Business Institute, serving as Ohio President in 2002-2003 and on the National Board of Directors in 2007-2009. He believes strongly that giving back to the industry we love is not just a two to five year commitment.
Charlie is married since 1978 to Laura, a retired speech and language pathologist with the Sycamore City Schools. They have two children, Elizabeth and Chase.
