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Meet Your Neighbor
The wonderful friends he and his wife have made here. The physical beauty and the history. Likes least about Nantucket: That the economy is driven by tourism and although he understands that, it is hard to get around the island part of the year. Favorite TV show: The English series, especially "Foyle's War." There is no question that Alan Forster is a whiz when it comes to numbers. That is evident from his career path, but even in his so-called retirement he has been sought after by three major island nonprofits to serve as their treasurer and financial advisor. Forster was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware. He was an economics major with a minor in history at Brown University, where he met his wife, Nancy. After graduation he enrolled at Columbia University where he earned a master's in business administration. The couple then married, and Forster went to work at Exxon Corporation as a financial analyst before becoming assistant treasurer at its subsidiary, Esso Chemical Supply. He stayed in those two positions for a combined total of six years. In the meantime, his wife was working for Sotheby's in New York City and told him the firm was searching for a new treasurer. Forster was chosen for the job and became employed by the prestigious auction house for 13 years. He went on to serve 16 years as vice president and treasurer with Manhattan's Interpublic Group, then the world's largest advertising and communications company. The Forsters have been summer residents here since 1979. They bought a rustic cottage in 1983, and when Nancy retired in 1990, she began spending each spring through fall there, with Forster visiting as often as possible until he retired in 1999 and was able to join her to live on the island year-round. It was not long after the couple took up permanent residence that Forster was approached by Nantucket New School officials to assist them as they began expanding the facility and student population. That was just before the school bought acreage on Nobadeer Farm Road to build a new campus. Forster signed on as treasurer and still holds that position as well as being a trustee. He was subsequently asked to become treasurer and a trustee of the Artists Association of Nantucket and joined the Atheneum's board three years ago, becoming its treasurer last year. "God forbid two organizations have a challenge going on at the same time," he joked, sitting at the table in his Swain Street home where Sherwood the cat rules the roost. In his free moments, Forster enjoys visiting art galleries, golfing, traveling and carving out as much time as possible for friends and family, including many nieces, nephews and God-children. In the future, he and his wife would like to visit Normandy and cities in Belgium and travel to St. Petersburg. There is no rush to do that, however. "We get an immense amount of pleasure out of being here," he said. "I've been approached about going on the Finance Committee, but my response has been that I have so much else going on and my wife would probably shoot me." I |
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