Over the course of its first 100 years, the company has grown into a multi-faceted operation with the strength to survive two major fires and numerous economic highs and lows. Today, The Lester Group, Inc. consists of :

• Two Home Centers:

  • Lester Building Supply in Martinsville, VA

  • The Jim Carpenter Company in Fredericksburg, VA.
     

• Fortress Wood Products, a pressure treatment wood business.
   

• Lester Forestlands, over 18,000 acres of forestlands.
   

• Lester Properties & Lester Development, managers and developers of commercial, retail, residential, and subdivision properties.
   

Along with these companies, a "sister" company, Lester Development Corporation, was started in 1974. Lester Development Corporation consists of six shopping centers, numerous free-standing restaurants and commercial/industrial buildings, and is the parent company of SpeedWay Center, Inc., which currently has seven convenience store/car wash operations.