Jerry Forest possesses four decades of experience in manufacturing and process safety with a mission to save lives, protect the environment, and preserve jobs by preventing process safety incidents.  He currently serves as a Process Safety Improvement Consultant at Jerry Forest, LLC, a company dedicated to reducing the severity and number process safety incidents at manufacturing sites. His twenty years manufacturing experience is in, among other technologies, isocyanates, and hydrazine propellants.

Mr. Forest serves as an Adjunct Lecturer in Chemical Engineering Process Safety at LSU and is an Advisor at Pilko.  His previous experience includes global roles as Senior Director of Process Safety at Celanese realizing a 90% reduction in process safety incidents over thirteen years.  He was a Global Process Safety Manager and Global HSE manager of Engineering and Support at LyondellBasell.

At Celanese, Jerry led the development and oversight of the risk-based management system and assurance process including creating protocols, training, lead auditor certification, management system audits, hazardous chemical assessment programs to RAGAGEP, severe weather and natural disaster assessments, regulatory audits, peer-to-peer assessment, self-assessment, and third-party terminal and tolling audits.

Prior to his role at Celanese, Jerry served as the Global Process Safety Manager and HSE Manager Global Engineering and Support at LyondellBasell, where he integrated process safety management systems and drove alignment across diverse regions and functional teams.  In addition, he was an Operational Excellence and Process Safety Manager responsible for creating protocols and training materials and is a certified lead auditor having completed dozens of audits across the globe.  As Process Safety Manager of Houston Refining, he created a self-assessment audit process, and led integration and compliance with LyondellBasell process safety management systems.

Jerry prioritizes data-driven strategic planning, intentional competency development, fostering a robust process safety culture, and driving excellence in conduct of operations exemplified by the creation of the globally acclaimed “Walk the Line” program.

He holds a BS in chemical engineering and MBA from LSU, and a master’s degree in pastoral studies from Loyola.   Additionally, he is a Certified Process Safety Professional, emeritus, boot camp instructor, and staff consultant through CCPS.  He has been elected to Fellow at both CCPS and AIChE.