Victor Foster, 40
Reliability Engineering Manager
International Flavors & Fragrances
Memphis, TN, United States
What Makes Victor an Engineering Leader
Victor has established himself as a champion of reliability within his company and across the industry. At MARCON, the annual conference hosted by the University of Tennessee, he has presented his “Reliability Journey,” where he outlined programs that achieved what many organizations aspire to—initiatives that engaged employees and stakeholders, optimized compliance, and delivered measurable results. His strategic use of predictive maintenance technologies and reliability principles has saved money, reduced downtime, and raised performance standards.
Achievements, Advancements & Career-related Industry Contributions
Victor is a seasoned reliability manager known for optimizing maintenance strategies and driving measurable results. He spearheaded the installation of a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) using co-op students, improving efficiency while also cultivating technical growth.
At one facility, he designed a predictive maintenance process that integrated asset criticality, business KPIs, and structured communication. The result: an 8.5% boost in production and a 50% reduction in reactive maintenance within 18 months.
As a board member of the Reliability and Maintainability Center at the University of Tennessee, Victor helps grow membership and ensures the intern program meets industry needs. He is certified in MLT/MLA I, MCA I, UE I, and vibration analysis II.
Currently, he manages a site with 260 employees, overseeing shutdowns, root cause analyses, preventive and predictive maintenance, and reliability capital projects. His leadership has elevated reliability standards across operations, and for six consecutive years, he has been a featured speaker at MARCON.
Non-work-related Activities & Hobbies
Victor serves as Cubmaster of Pack 439, guiding 55 scouts from kindergarten through fifth grade and supporting 26 dedicated volunteers. For more than five years, he has helped prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Recently appointed committee chair of Troop 459, he continues to inspire leadership and growth, coaching both families and scouts to become confident, responsible contributors to their communities.
Interesting Details
An Eagle Scout himself, Victor demonstrates the same commitment to leadership in his professional and personal life. He has distinguished himself in mentoring co-op programs, often supervising two to nine students across multiple departments. For the past decade, he has provided students with hands-on experience while coaching them in practical life skills to support long-term success.
Why Victor Chose This Career
Victor’s journey into reliability began unexpectedly—with free pizza and a curious first step into the field—but it quickly grew into a passion. His Scouting background instilled in him a mindset of preparation, resilience, and solving problems before they happen. Reliability, to him, is a natural extension of those values.
He views the discipline not only as a technical field but also as a way to protect livelihoods, strengthen communities, and sustain local industries. For Victor, reliability is both a personal calling and a patriotic responsibility—helping domestic manufacturing remain competitive while making a tangible difference in people’s everyday lives.
