VIRTUAL DOORMAN founder, Foster, honored at 2026 RED Awards

Manhattan, NY Colin Foster, founder and chief innovation officer of Virtual Service, was honored with the Best of PropTech Award at the 2026 Residential RED Awards. The recognition marks 30 years since Foster introduced VIRTUAL DOORMAN, a fully managed building access, security, and management platform that brings together intelligent technology and the personal attention of live, professionally trained operators.

The RED Awards gala took place at 101 Park Ave. The award recognizes VIRTUAL DOORMAN’s longstanding role in shaping a new approach to residential building service — one that uses technology to extend access and support while keeping human interaction central.

“We introduced VIRTUAL DOORMAN in 1997 with a simple idea: technology could make building service more accessible without losing the human connection,” said Foster. “Thirty years later, live operators remain at the heart of how the system works. We’re honored that RED has recognized the people and work behind that idea. We continually bring advanced security technology together with human oversight.”

Foster’s original system used two-way video and remote operations to bring the service of a professionally attended building to properties without requiring an operator to be physically stationed in each lobby. Over time, the system has evolved through millions of real-world interactions, informing the technology, operating protocols, and training that support the service today.

VIRTUAL DOORMAN integrates building hardware, cloud-based software, centralized operations, and live professional oversight. The system is configured for the needs of each property, from single-family homes and multifamily buildings to suburban communities.