UNIONDALE, NY / ACCESS Newswire / December 11, 2025 / Marquis Who's Who honors Forest T. Harper Jr. for expertise in nonprofit and business leadership. Mr. Harper is the founder and president of Harper Cook Consulting LLC, where he serves as a senior adviser to emerging nonprofit leaders and works to close the divide between philanthropic resources and community needs.
About Mr. Forest T. Harper Jr.
From public housing in Fort Pierce, Florida, to becoming a national leader, Mr. Harper exemplifies a remarkable journey of impact and service. After a successful career at Pfizer and INROADS Inc., he has officially retired. Yet, his approach represents a change from traditional retirement, as he now offers purpose-driven consulting focused on lasting impact in the nonprofit sector. Drawing on leadership skills developed during eight years of military service in the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne, as well as his membership in the Executive Leadership Council and his current role as an official member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council, Mr. Harper brings a unique perspective to his consulting work.
"They told us in retirement, ‘You're going to stop working, enjoy your life.' That is the easy part. The part that keeps going is passion. It's my passion to connect the dots with Harper Cook Consulting to ensure that philanthropists and those in need can connect to build sustainable lives and communities. That's my ‘passion,'" says Mr. Harper.
Through his consulting firm, Mr. Harper concentrates on three areas: young executives at nonprofits, philanthropists and the nonprofit workforce. The success of a nonprofit, as in business, depends on its leaders. Mr. Harper offers his services as a senior adviser to leadership during onboarding to ensure a solid start in their roles. A leader who starts their role well ensures the nonprofit's link to the community's needs is effective.
Mr. Harper also offers consulting services as an adviser to philanthropists, including private, family and corporate philanthropists. Under his guidance, these philanthropists' donations are elevated to have a greater impact on communities and remain sustainable for years to come. For example, instead of a single donation per year, he'd encourage a 10-year commitment, or instead of only volunteering for one day, committing to years of service.
"The third area, which is what I'm really passionate about, is connecting the future philanthropic workforce to drive nonprofit success. Everybody talks about the workforce in technology. They talk about the workforce in sports and entertainment. They talk about the workforce for every dimension. We rarely talk about the workforce of young people going into nonprofits. There's a great need for a marketing person working for United Way to a manager working at the YMCA. They're just not glorified positions," Mr. Harper says.
Mr. Harper aims to connect the dots for greater impact and build an indispensable nonprofit workforce. He also wants to encourage collaborative philanthropic initiatives in which nonprofits work together to address issues. He is passionate about shaping philanthropic mindsets and hopes to encourage philanthropists to engage in solving problems in their communities.
"We have a lot of people who are well off and fortunate in the world," Mr. Harper says. "In 2023, Giving USA reported $557 billion that was donated, and 82% of those donations were from individuals. There's an appeal to those who give. The appeal is to look right in your backyard to help sustain communities."
Making a Difference
Mr. Harper volunteers in his own philanthropic capacity at his church in the Atlanta area. According to a recent report, one in six families in the city experiences food insecurity. At his church, they serve about 800 meals at a time, but Mr. Harper doesn't believe there is a reason for hunger to exist in the U.S.
"In the past few months, our Nonprofit Antioch Urban Ministry (AUMI) lost significant grants, which impacted our food kitchen. But the community and congregation responded as best we could. That's what drives me with passion about getting a conversation with philanthropists about what they can do to scale and impact the sustainability of our communities, city after city," Mr. Harper says.
About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms worldwide. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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SOURCE: Marquis Who's Who
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