Forrest P. Gauthier

Forrest P. Gauthier was born on November 1, 1954, in Glendale, California, the middle of five children. His father, Ralph Joseph Gauthier, was a naval medical officer and a co-developer of the MDX pharmacy chain. His mother, Katharine Rae Gauthier, R.N., was a hospital administrator.

That foundation gave him an early respect for discipline, service, and practical problem solving. It also helped form the pattern that would define his career: entering complex fields, identifying what was missing, and building systems that could endure beyond the original venture.

He is married to Marjolein, a citizen of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He has two sons, an adopted daughter, three stepchildren, and five grandchildren.

• General Electric / CFM International Aerospace systems and the CFM56 engineForrest was recruited into the General Electric Fast-Track management program and served in multiple roles with GE International Operations in Europe. He was later transferred to the newly formed CFM International, where he helped develop initial programs for the CFM56 turbofan engine.
• Response Financial Secure interbank transactionsReturning to the United States, Forrest formed Response Financial in Tyler, Texas, with backing from economist Gary North. He and his partner developed what some consider to be the first X.25 network switch for secure interbank financial transactions.
• Anser Technology Financial character recognition and encoding standardsForrest then co-founded Anser Technology in Dallas with John Mauldin. At Anser, he pioneered non-impact E-13B magnetic encoding, authored the draft ISO specification, and developed digital encoding standards used in security documents, travelers checks, and debit cards.
• Bridge International High-volume manufacturing across AsiaBound by a five-year restriction on work in fintech and digital security, Forrest relocated to Korea and founded Bridge International with SuJa Kang. Bridge operated high-volume manufacturing across China, Korea, and the Philippines for companies including Procter & Gamble, Shakespeare, Sony, Word Publishing, and David C. Cook.
• Varis Corporation Data-driven targeted marketing at scaleWhile running Bridge, Forrest authored a white paper on using data from unrelated databases to create highly relevant targeted marketing. General Electric partnered with him to commercialize the idea, leading to Varis Corporation, a GE-backed company that later moved into a 245,000 square foot development and production facility in Mason, Ohio.
• Tesseron Intellectual property development and licensingWith intellectual property retained from Varis, Forrest founded Tesseron as an IP development and licensing company. Over the following three years, Tesseron monetized more than $22 million in licensing royalties on patents Forrest developed and owned.
• Blue71 Global Water-based experiences and life-support technologyForrest later established Blue71 Global, Inc. to develop, deploy, and market water-based experiences, products, and programs rooted in his ocean expertise and life-support technology portfolio.

Beyond Business

The business career does not begin to describe the man.

Forrest is a Merchant Marine officer and a 5,000-hour-plus multi-engine commercial pilot with high-altitude and performance endorsements. He is a licensed skydiver, a technical scuba instructor-trainer, and a hyperbaric chamber instructor.

He also holds an SCCA competition racing license, a High-Power Rocketry Level 2 certification, and an Extra Class amateur radio operator license. He has traveled to six of the world’s continents, worked on five, and lived on three.