Mr. Forrest is the Assistant Commander for Asset Management at the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command. In his current position, he is the principal advisor to the Commander, NAVFAC and key Department of the Navy and Department of Defense officials for real property asset management, ensuring the optimal provision of real property assets that are integral to mission. He is the DoN’s senior technical, execution and management authority for all matters relating to the acquisition, management and disposal of real property interests, to include Special Ventures Acquisition programs such as Family and Unaccompanied Housing Public-Private Ventures, Enhanced Use Leasing and other third party financed, innovative and transformational initiatives. He is responsible for DoN-wide real estate policy and oversight of real estate acquisitions, leasing, out-leasing and disposals; Base Development Management, including global regional and installation, land, facilities and infrastructure planning, real property inventory management, real property Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness, geospatial information, and planning policy and criteria; Base Realignment and Closure, to include caretaker, environmental remediation, and disposals; and resources across the entire Asset Management Business Line. He has oversight and community management responsibilities for the AMBL across NAVFAC, which includes over 1,000 planners, engineers and realty specialists at 3 subordinate commands, 9 Facility Engineering Commands, and 66 Public Works Departments worldwide.
Mr. Forrest was selected for appointment to the Senior Executive Service in February 2002. During his initial SES position as SVA Director, he was responsible for the development, acquisition, execution, oversight, monitoring and management of SVA and PPV programs, portfolios and projects supporting the Navy and Marine Corps. Mr. Forrest also served as the first Energy Office Director at NAVFAC, enabling increased energy security, energy efficiency, use of energy from renewable/alternative sources and a reduction of greenhouse gases across the DoN shore establishment. He continues to lead the way for the DoN on Housing investment portfolios that currently includes $10 billion in assets.
Mr. Forrest has been involved with the Military Housing Privatization Initiative authorities and PPV programs and projects since May 1996. In November 1997 he accepted the position of Project Manager of Privatization at NAVFAC in Alexandria, VA. He served as Senior Project Manager for Pacific Fleet and Marine Corps Housing Privatization from August 1999 to January 2001, and as Senior Program Manager with SVA at NAVFAC in Washington, DC from January 2001 to February 2002.
Mr. Forrest’s experience with Navy and Marine Corps Housing and Military Construction began in November 1990 when he served in various MILCON program management positions at NAVFAC, culminating in a position as Program Manager for the DoN’s Family Housing, New and Replacement Construction program from August 1992 through May 1996. With an annual budget of approximately $200M, he was responsible for managing all new and replacement family housing construction for the Navy and Marine Corps around the world. With the introduction of the Neighborhoods of Excellence program in 1993, he saw an opportunity to improve and modernize housing construction standards for the Navy and spearheaded the implementation of quality of life enhancements across the program he managed.
Mr. Forrest began his Federal career in January 1987 as an Engineering Intern in NAVFAC’s Professional Development Center Program. After two years of rotational training assignments at NAVFAC’s Headquarters in Alexandria, VA, Chesapeake Division in Washington, DC and Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory in Port Hueneme, CA, he accepted a project management position at a Resident Officer In Charge of Construction office in Washington, DC where he was responsible for completion of the $26 million HMX-1 Support Facility in direct support of the President of the United States.
Mr. Forrest attended the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY and graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. In addition, he has taken numerous post-graduate courses from The National Development Council, The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and Kenan-Flagler Business School at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Mr. Forrest is a certified Housing Development Finance Professional and Engineer-In-Training.
During his career Mr. Forrest has been recognized professionally with numerous special achievement awards, including the Presidential Meritorious Rank Award for Senior Executives. Awards Mr. Forrest has accepted on behalf of the DoN have come from leading national industry organizations and Federal agencies, and include the Multi-Housing World Planning Design Award, Smart Growth Achievement Award from the Environmental Protection Agency, Business Solutions in the Public Interest Federal Acquisition Award from Government Executive Magazine and the Council for Excellence in Government, and Deal of Year for Innovative Non-Traditional Finance from The Bond Buyer.
Last Updated: 20 September 2022