Joe Forehand

{{Short description|American businessman}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Joe Forehand

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Alexander City, Alabama, U.S.

| education = Krannert Graduate School of Management, Auburn University

| occupation = Business executive

| nationality = American

| employer = First Data

}}

Joe Forehand is an American business executive and a member of the board of directors of First Data.{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstdata.com/en_my/about-first-data/board-of-directors/joe-forehand-board-bio.html|title=Joe W. Forehand {{!}} First Data|website=www.firstdata.com|language=en|access-date=2018-05-17}} Before joining First Data, he served as a chairman and CEO of Accenture.{{cite web|last=Longwell|first=John|title=Joseph Forehand, CEO, Accenture|url=http://www.crn.com/news/channel-programs/18827435/joseph-forehand-ceo-accenture.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922004201/http://www.crn.com/news/channel-programs/18827435/joseph-forehand-ceo-accenture.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 22, 2012|work=CRN|accessdate=September 8, 2011}}{{Cite web|url=https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/accenture-chairman-and-ceo-joe-w-forehand-to-step-down-as-ceo-will-retain-position-chairman.htm|title=Accenture Chairman and CEO Joe W. Forehand to Step Down as CEO; Will Retain Position of Chairman - Accenture Newsroom|website=newsroom.accenture.com|language=en|access-date=2018-05-17}} He became CEO in November 1999, and chairman in February 2001.{{cite web|last=Dignan|first=Larry|title=First Data names Forehand CEO; Capellas steps back|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/first-data-names-forehand-ceo-capellas-steps-back/|work=ZDNet|publisher=CBS Interactive|access-date= September 8, 2011}}{{Cite web|url=https://newsroom.accenture.com/subjects/accenture-corporate/accenture-ceo-william-d-green-assumes-additional-post-chairman.htm|title=Accenture CEO William D. Green Assumes Additional Post of Chairman - Accenture Newsroom|website=newsroom.accenture.com|access-date=2018-12-07}}

Forehand was born in Alexander City, Alabama. In 1971, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Auburn University{{Cite web|url=http://www.eng.auburn.edu/insy/academics/undergraduate/current-students/scholarships/joe-forehand/about-joe-forehand.html|title=About Joe W. Forehand|website=www.eng.auburn.edu|language=en|access-date=2018-05-18|archive-date=May 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518200950/http://www.eng.auburn.edu/insy/academics/undergraduate/current-students/scholarships/joe-forehand/about-joe-forehand.html|url-status=dead}} where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. Forehand received his MBA in industrial administration from the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.{{Cite web|url=https://news.uns.purdue.edu/html3month/2005/05Hondocs/05.FOREHAND.html|title=2005 Honorary Degree Joe W. Forehand, Jr.|website=news.uns.purdue.edu|access-date=2018-05-18|archive-date=May 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518200833/https://news.uns.purdue.edu/html3month/2005/05Hondocs/05.FOREHAND.html|url-status=dead}}

In an Accenture internal memo and corresponding press release in April 2004, the Accenture board of directors announced that Forehand would relinquish the office of CEO in September 2004. William D. Green assumed the job of CEO effective that same month.{{Cite web|title=Accenture Names Green as Forehand's Successor|url=https://www.accountingtoday.com/news/accenture-names-green-as-forehands-successor|date=2004-04-12|website=Accounting Today|language=en|access-date=2020-04-30}}

In 2006, Forehand retired from Accenture, ending his term as chairman and 33 years with the firm. He became a member of Aricent's board later in the year.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

From 2007 to 2015 he was a director of Auburn University Foundation.{{Cite web|url=http://www.auburnuniversityfoundation.org/past-leadership/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705190904/http://www.auburnuniversityfoundation.org/past-leadership/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 5, 2017|title=Past Leadership – Auburn University Foundation|website=www.auburnuniversityfoundation.org|language=en-US|access-date=2018-05-17}}

In 2019, Forehand was inducted into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony took place in Birmingham.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2019/07/24/mayers-collat-among-heavy-hitters-tapped-for.html|title=Mayer's Collat among heavy hitters tapped for Alabama Business Hall of Fame|last=|first=|date=|website=www.bizjournals.com|access-date=2020-02-04}}