Bob Forrester worked in the philanthropic world for 50 years. Newman's Own, Inc. and its parent, Newman's Own Foundation, hired him as CEO in September 2008. Paul Newman had been CEO of the food company and its parent for a long time.
It was Bob Forrester's job to lead this unique business and philanthropic organization from 26 years under its well-known, inspirational Founder to a future where it could thrive as an impactful independent organization based on its founding values.
Bob Forrester was CEO of Newman's Own for six years. During that time, the company's profits grew at a rate of 10% compounded annual growth, while its competitors were only growing at a rate of 5% or less.
Bob Forrester was CEO of the parent company for 10.5 years. During that time, Newman's Own gave away more than $286 million in profits to charities, more than 10 percent more than they had given away in the previous 26 years.
As President of the Newman's Own Foundation, Bob Forrester came up with ways to encourage philanthropy around the world, help kids with life-limiting illnesses, veterans and their families, and help people overcome barriers to their potential. Bob's leadership in the sector was based on his belief that everyone should have the same opportunities, hope, and dignity, and that we should all care for the planet we all live on.
Newman's Own faced a unique, life-or-death problem when it had to move from the Founder's era to the modern era. Newman's Own had to split up by the middle of November 2018 because of an unintended side effect of a tax law from years ago.
Bob Forster was able to get bipartisan legislation passed and signed into law in February 2018 after nine years of personal work and as many as 200 meetings about it in a single year. This new business model, called the "Philanthropic Enterprise," was created. Newman's Own was able to stay in business thanks to this groundbreaking law. It also allowed dozens of other social entrepreneurs to start businesses based on a promise to donate 100% of their profits.
Bob Forrester was the founder and CEO of Payne Forrester, LLC, a well-known international consulting firm that worked with non-profits on planning, management, fundraising, communications, and governance issues from 1980 to 2008. During Bob Forrester's time as CEO, the company worked with more than 500 people.
American University of Beirut, the United Nations Foundation, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, 13 international therapeutic camps for children with life-limiting medical conditions, and the South African Free Election were some of the projects that Bob Forrester worked on during his time in Lebanon. Bob Forster worked at New York University and the University of Hartford from 1969 to 1980.
People who have worked with him have been on the boards of Newman's Own Foundation, CECP, Serious Fun Children's Network, Safe Water Network, Re-Center, Re-Center (formerly the Discovery Center), Dukes County Cable TV, and FM radio station WMVY (founding director).
There are a lot of people who work for Newman's Own: the University of Hartford Regent; Hartford Art School; the Connecticut Council of Philanthropy; Green Mountain Forest Corp.; the Mark Twain Memorial; Westport Country Playhouse; and The Alford Group.
As an Army officer in Vietnam, Bob Forster was given a Bronze Star by the UNESCO Chair and Institute of Human Rights for his service. Mount Holyoke College and the University of Hartford also gave him Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees.
Avon, Connecticut and Edgartown, Massachusetts, are two places where Bob Forrester and his wife and partner have lived. He has a B.S. in Psychology and has lived there with Linda. He still gives back to the community by serving on boards, doing a lot of volunteer work, writing, speaking, and giving pro-bono consulting advice.