FORTE Management Team

For more than 30 years, FORTE has provided our customers growth-enabled distribution and supply chain solutions.

Our commitment is to provide the highest quality products and services to our clients with an emphasis on continuous process improvement. We take a hands-on approach in partnering with our clients to improve their distribution operations.

Gene Forte, Chief Executive Officer

As FORTE's founder and chief executive officer, Gene is responsible for the strategic direction and operations of the company to ensure exceptional delivery of customer and stakeholder value. He provides more than 30 years of unique experience in supply chain execution and material handling engineering. Through his partnership with IBM, Gene helped spawn the personal computer industry with his intimate involvement designing and building the world's first automated PC assembly and distribution center, followed by the long-term roll out of the entire network of IBM PC distribution operations throughout the U.S. Similarly, he played a key role in developing the world's first automated mail order pharmacy for Hook's/SuperX, now CVS. Forte's personal customer involvement over the years includes working closely with such notable clients as P&G, Delta Faucet, totes>>Isotoner, Beiersdorf, GE, Federated Department Stores, Lenox China, Time Warner/Southern Living, Sears, CR Bard, Home Interiors, and many others.          

Forte was named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist in 1999. He also led FORTE to being named to Inc. magazine's list of America's 500 Fastest Growing Companies for two consecutive years, in addition to the Supply Chain Innovator award, the Top 100 Supply Chain Partners (twice), and numerous other industry and business awards. As a recognized industry visionary, Gene introduced the Design/Build project methodology to the industry more than 20 years ago, providing customers with access to supplier-neutral solutions and a single point of accountability for their complex warehouse distribution systems projects.   

Forte served in the United States Marine Corps as a warehouse/supply non-commissioned officer, earning three meritorious promotions for service above and beyond. 

Bob Babel, Vice President, Systems Engineering

With more than 40 years of experience in material handling engineering, material handling consulting and project management, Bob is responsible for all aspects of FORTE's systems engineering and project delivery functions.

Bob is highly regarded in the industry for his extensive knowledge of automated material handling systems and even holds patents for high-speed sortation equipment. In his role with FORTE, he manages the design and build portions of a distribution center, including overall facility layout, design, equipment configuration, material operational flow, and implementation for a wide range of distribution operations for both retrofits and greenfield sites.

Prior to joining FORTE, Bob served as manager of research and development for a leading manufacturer of material handling equipment. There he oversaw research and development and standardization efforts within the company. He also held a number of other engineering and project management positions relating to the design and implementation of large-scale, automated material handling systems.

As the former chairman of the Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA), Bob helped develop the design and safety standards for material handling equipment. He is a frequent speaker at industry organization conferences and regularly interviewed by industry trade publications. Bob earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from University of Cincinnati.

Tom Lehmkuhl, Chief Technology Officer

Tom has more than 30 years of IT, mechanical engineering and project management experience. He guides the FORTE technology team with his extensive knowledge and vision for system architecture design and development, database design and data analytics, object-oriented analysis, and development and agile methodologies. Tom led the design and development of the FORTE Smart Warehouse Suite™, including Automation Director^® conveyor and sortation control, and has managed dozens of successful implementations. In addition, he guided the creation of Integration Director™ WCS software, the industry's leading real-time, multi-directional middleware that allows any number of systems to communicate and interface in real time.

Along with Michael Howes, Tom designed and architected FORTE's core technology platform, Agent Framework™, an agent-based architecture for software development designed to address the challenges of highly complex, real-time, interactive and disparate systems. This development approach enables the FORTE software suite to easily scale and adapt as new client investments are made in automation technologies, ensuring the lowest total cost of ownership and greatest return on those investments.

Prior to joining FORTE, Lehmkuhl was vice president of IT for a large transportation company, CIO of an international information services consulting agency, and president and founder of an IT consultancy and software development firm. Lehmkuhl also started a software division for a consulting firm specializing in wastewater treatment and was a product engineer with an international valve manufacturing company.

Tom is a graduate of University of Cincinnati with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Jeff Ross, Vice President, Consulting Services

With more than 30 years of operations management and supply chain consulting experience, Jeff is responsible for all aspects of FORTE's consulting practice.

His experience spans strategy, facility and process design, material handling systems implementation, inventory and network analysis and improvements, project and human resources management, and supply chain software solution selection and deployment.

Prior to joining FORTE, Jeff held leadership positions in well-known supply chain consulting organizations. He has worked with clients across many industries, including retail distribution, consumer products, electronics, pharmaceutical, outdoor products, books, mail order, service parts, automotive, beverage and third party logistics. Prior to his consulting experience, he held long-term logistics management positions with Frigidaire Home Products and Dorman Products, a major automotive aftermarket parts company. At Frigidaire, Jeff was responsible for the physical, financial, and human operational aspects of more than 2 million square feet of finished goods warehousing and 500,000 square feet of spare parts distribution.

Jeff is a graduate of Miami University and has a Masters in Business Administration from Xavier University. He was named a "2011 Provider Pro To Know" by Supply & Demand Chain Executive.

Tom Rentschler, Vice President, Marketing

Rentschler is a seasoned entrepreneur, creative director and marketing strategist who brings nearly 30 years of business‐to-business marketing experience to bear on behalf of FORTE. He is responsible for building the FORTE brand in the supply chain industry, as well as implementing lead generation, media relations and social media programs.
 
As one of three principals and chief creative officer of HSR Business to Business, Rentschler helped build and ultimately sell one of the nation's most decorated and successful advertising agencies dedicated to b-to-b clients. Over the course of 20 years, HSR garnered every major award in the industry, including the American Marketing Association Effie Award for marketing effectiveness, while attracting an impressive list of Fortune 500® clients. BtoB Magazine named Rentschler one of the top creative directors in the country.
 
Most recently, Tom has been a member of Queen City Angels (QCA), the first group of experienced, accredited investors committed to accelerating the growth of outstanding early-stage businesses in Cincinnati and the surrounding region. Members of QCA include many former founders of successful companies who are eager to apply their talent and expertise to mentoring, coaching and funding the right ventures.

Michael Howes, Director, Software Engineering and Principal Architect

Michael has nearly 20 years of IT experience. His in-depth knowledge of software design methodologies, design patterns, service-oriented architecture and object-oriented design has contributed to FORTE's industry leadership in supply chain execution software. Michael lead the development of FORTE's Integration Director™ WCS software, the industry's leading real-time, multi-directional middleware that allows any number of systems to communicate and interface in real time.

Along with Tom Lehmkuhl, Michael designed and architected FORTE's core technology platform, Agent Framework™, an agent-based architecture for software development designed to address the challenges of highly complex, real-time, interactive and disparate systems. This development approach enables the FORTE software suite to easily scale and adapt as new client investments are made in automation technologies, ensuring the lowest total cost of ownership and greatest return on those investments. Mike also spearheads FORTE's analytics-based technology that provides quantitative solutions proven by simulation.

Prior to joining FORTE, Michael was manager of software development for R+L Carriers, where he led a team of 15 developers and software architects. He also served as manager, intranet/extranet development for US Bank, lead web developer and system administrator for Air Force Institute of Technology, and manager, network operation and support, for TeleSuite. He studied computer science at Wright State University.