20 Under 40: Kim Forrest

Corporate Marketing Director, Forrest Technical Coatings

Age: 35

As a third-generation Eugene resident, I am inspired by our long-held tradition of building community. Growing up in my family’s now second-generation business, Forrest Technical Coatings, I learned to lead my professional life with a socially and environmentally conscious mindset. I currently serve as the company’s corporate marketing director, where I have developed a proactive giving strategy that leverages our greatest strength: paint.

We are close partners with the 20X21 EUG Mural Project, providing protective top coats for the murals, and support several projects addressing the pressing need for affordable housing in our area. I am also proud of Forrest’s ambitious efforts to lead the coatings industry in innovative sustainable products and to be accountable as environmental stewards.

Prior to joining the family business, I dedicated my young professional life to facilitating community engagement in pursuit of social change. I held leadership roles in several electoral campaigns and legislative offices as a means to empower individuals to elect and communicate with their representatives. My love of culture, history and the environment led me to Mexico and Guatemala to pursue a master’s in anthropology and work with ecologically and community-minded archaeology projects, an experience I drew on to work professionally with Eugene-based StoveTeam International, where I built cross-cultural relationships with Central American entrepreneurs to promote fuel-efficient cookstoves. I continue to serve on the StoveTeam Board and support organizations dedicated to environmental and social impact.