A Look Back: The History of James E. Forst & Associates
Jim Forst, founder, in the early days
The history of James E. Forst & Associates goes back to a small garage in Louisville’s west end, where a young Jim Forst helped develop plates and mimeographs for his father’s photo offset printing business. Jim’s love for building things – bicycles, tree houses, printing plates – was nurtured and encouraged by his dad, a machinist at Phillip Morris. “He could’ve been an engineer himself if he’d gone back to school after the Navy,” says Jim.
After graduating from St. Xavier high school, Jim pursued a Pre-Engineering degree at Bellarmine University which included courses in science and the arts. The program required students to transfer to University of Louisville’s Speed School for three years of college and spend three semesters co-oping. It was during this time Jim gained experience in the mechanical/electrical department of an architectural/engineering firm.
After graduating from Bellarmine with a BA in Mathematics, Jim spent the next 10 years at engineering firms across Louisville. During these years, he contributed to some noteworthy projects in Louisville and beyond, including: five blow mold manufacturing plants for Amoco Plastics (which produced the first 2 liter plastic bottles in the United States), steam and chilled water upgrades at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center, and HVAC upgrades at multiple National Guard Centers.
This allowed Jim to not only develop his engineering and client management skills, but – perhaps more importantly – the “do’s and don’ts” of leading a firm, building a team, and creating a culture that encourages work-life balance and nurtures talent (just as his dad had done all those years ago).
Jim Forst's father owned a photo offset business in Louisville's west end
An early Forst & Associates logo
Despite being recruited by another firm (and now with three young children), Jim decided to launch his own company in 1983. He envisioned a new firm to compete in the Kentucky-Indiana region: a full-service consulting firm providing mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) engineering design under one roof. He also envisioned a workplace where high-performing engineers could do fulfilling work, while also prioritizing their families and their lives.
“I wanted to do good work with no drama. I had seen the good, the bad and the ugly. I wanted to start a firm of good – with no bad or ugly,” recalls Jim.
For more than four decades, Jim has guided the firm to continued growth and stability and has built a reputation for customized MEP design with quality results, reliable service, and a deep knowledge base. The firm has successfully designed thousands of new buildings and renovations both regionally and nationally (30+ states) across a variety of industries including commercial, governmental, industrial, educational and multi-family residential buildings.
Just as fulfilling to Jim as their prolific project history is the relationships he’s built along the way. Whether that’s with the architects and owners who have become repeat clients over the years, or the current and former staff members he’s helped along their career paths.
Susan Forst Mersch at Assumption High School
This includes Jim’s own daughter, Susan Forst Mersch. Susan has vivid memories of visiting jobsites with her father as small girl – back when Forst & Associates was just a start-up. A graduate of Assumption High School Susan first joined the firm as a co-op while pursuing her Engineering Degree from University of Dayton. After nearly a decade designing major appliances and leading teams at the start of her career, Susan made a shift to the consulting side of engineering in 2008, joining Forst & Associates as vice president of mechanical engineering.
In 2022, Susan became the majority owner & operator of James E. Forst & Associates, making the company a woman-owned business enterprise (WBE), and one of the only women-owned, MEP engineering firms in the state of Kentucky.
Susan is eager to continue building on the strong legacy Jim has established.
“We have decades of proof that if you invest in good talent, treat people right, and nurture relationships, you can build a successful business, “says Susan. “And that extends to our client relationships as well. We are responsive. We are thorough. We are proactive problem-solvers who are team- and solutions-oriented. These things, combined with our engineering expertise and reliable consulting, are what keep our clients coming back.”
On that, Susan and Jim agree.
“Our mission has always been to engineer high-quality, efficient, cost-effective solutions, and I’m proud of the way we’ve done that on thousands of projects across the country” says Jim. “But I’m even prouder of the partnerships, and the legacy we’ve built. I’m eager for Susan to take all of this to the next level, as I know she will. The firm is sure to thrive for another 40 + years, under her leadership.”
The team at Forst and Associates