Award presented during EKLF’s annual conference
Terry and Marion Forcht pose with Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers at the 2024 East Kentucky Leadership Conference’s Award Ceremony. Senate Stivers was named the 2024 Award of Excellence winner for Public Individual, and Terry and Marion Forcht were presented with the 2024 Award of Excellence for Private Individuals.
Lexington, Ky. (April 26, 2024) – Terry and Marion Forcht have been named the 2024 winners of the Award of Excellence for Private Individuals by the East Kentucky Leadership Foundation. The Forchts were presented the award during a dinner and ceremony at the 36th Annual East Kentucky Leadership Conference, which was held this year in Corbin.
“I am appreciative of the East Kentucky Leadership Foundation for presenting Marion and I with this award,” said Mr. Forcht. “I firmly believe in the philosophy of hard work, and supporting your community and your Commonwealth leaves a lasting legacy and sets the example for others to follow.”
“Terry and I made our home in southeastern Kentucky, and we raised our four children here. The life we made here personally and professionally is measured by the success of providing opportunities to the area while being thankful to God for what He has provided,” said Mrs. Forcht. “Thank you for the foundation board for presenting us with this award.”
Terry and Marion Forcht were nominated for the award by Dr. Larry L. Cockrum, President of the University of the Cumberlands. In his nomination letter, Dr. Cockrum wrote, “There are few people with the determination, initiative, leadership, and impact of Terry and Marion Forcht. The two have formed an unstoppable team that has improved, grown, and lifted the entire state of Kentucky through business, leadership, and philanthropy.”
Dr. Cockrum’s letter highlighted the professional accomplishments of Terry and Marion Forcht, from the beginnings of their move from their native Louisville to Williamsburg, and later relocating to Corbin. Mr. Forcht’s business empire began with the founding of Hillcrest Health and Rehabilitation Center in 1972, and starting his first bank, Tri-County National Bank, with fellow investors in 1985. From those beginnings, the Forchts expanded their business operations to form Forcht Group of Kentucky, which employees more than 2,000 employees in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.
Terry and Marion Forcht give remarks after being presented with the Award of Excellence for Private Individuals at the 2024 East Kentucky Leadership Conference held in downtown Corbin.
In addition to growing their businesses, the Forchts also have been very involved in their community and their Commonwealth. Among their accomplishments is the founding of the Center for Entrepreneurship at their alma mater, the University of Louisville, contributing to the installation of murals in the Kentucky State Capitol’s Rotunda, and the Terry and Marion Forcht School of Nursing at the University of the Cumberlands.
Mrs. Forcht has served on numerous local and statewide boards, including on Kentucky’s Historic Properties Advisory Commission, Governor’s Mansion Centennial Committee, and the Knox-Whitley Animal Shelter.
Terry and Marion Forcht join the other award winners for the 2024 East Kentucky Leadership Conference held in Corbin. This year’s award winners are (from left to right): Lucy Hale, Culture and Arts; Paul Dole, President and CEO of KCEOC Community Action Partnership, Organization; Hunter Combs, Youth Leadership; Nancy Hale, Tony Turner Award; Terry and Marion Forcht, Award of Excellence-Private Individuals; Senate President Robert Stivers, Award of Excellence-Public Individual; Wayne Riley, Carolyn Sundy Award; and Malcolm Wilson, Media and Technology.
Terry Forcht and Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus greet each other before the start of the 2024 East Kentucky Leadership Conference’s dinner and awards ceremony held at The Pennington in downtown Corbin.
Mr. Forcht is currently a member of the Kentucky Economic Development Board and has previously served as a board member of the University of Louisville Foundation, the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and on the Development Committee of SOAR (Shaping Our Appalachian Region) after being appointed by Congressman Hal Rogers and former Governor Steve Beshear in 2014.
To find out more about their award, and to view an interview with Terry and Marion Forcht by WYMT-TV, click here.
Forcht Group of Kentucky, based in Lexington and Corbin, is comprised of 86 separate companies employing over 2,000 employees in banking and financial services, healthcare, Insurance, retail, broadcast and print media, and other areas.