UNIONDALE, NY / ACCESS Newswire / September 30, 2025 / Marquis Who's Who honors Jim Fortner for his excellence in business ownership and development. As the owner, manager and chief executive officer of Fortner's Home Connection, he has demonstrated resilience and adaptability across multiple industries, from retail to natural resources to pharmaceuticals.

About Jim Fortner

Mr. Fortner founded Fortner's Home Connection in 2022 after navigating significant career transitions. Based in Middlesboro, Kentucky, the business offers appliances, furniture, bedding, and lawn and garden equipment to help families create and maintain their homes. He oversees every aspect of daily operations, including opening the store, greeting customers, coordinating deliveries and organizing displays. Mr. Fortner's leadership reflects his belief in taking ownership of both customer service and operational excellence.

Before launching his current venture, Mr. Fortner worked as a store manager at Sears Hometown Store in Middlesboro from 2017 to 2022. When Sears closed its doors nationwide, he connected with Nationwide Marketing, which helped him secure suppliers, customer financing and a new platform to reestablish his business under its current name. A local Sears store became his entry point into retail, where his skills and dedication quickly earned him a management role and eventually ownership.

Mr. Fortner's entrepreneurial experience extends beyond retail. He has co-owned a coal property in West Virginia with his brother and cousin for nearly 20 years, successfully navigating the challenges of natural resource management. He also operated a martial arts studio for more than a decade and previously managed rental houses. His earlier career included three years as a pharmaceutical representative with GlaxoSmithKline, where he promoted medications across multiple therapeutic areas and earned national sales awards. One highlight of his career was creating a new product line for his father's business, which generated $250,000 in its first year.

Education has played a key role in Mr. Fortner's success. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1994 and a Master of Business Administration in 1999, both from Lincoln Memorial University. He attributes his success to a combination of education, work ethic and lessons learned from his father, a self-made multimillionaire. He applies those lessons by emphasizing adaptability in sales and keeping his Christian faith central to his life and work.

Notable Professional and Personal Achievements

Mr. Fortner has earned multiple recognitions throughout his career. He received national sales awards for promoting Valtrex and Lotronex. Within the Sigma Phi Epsilon/Alpha Lambda Zeta fraternity, he was named Alpha of the Year and Alumni of the Year. A lifelong martial artist, he holds a seventh-degree black belt with the International Society of Black Belts. His community involvement includes serving as past president of the Elks Lodge and as an active member of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization devoted to charitable service. He also maintains membership in the Bell County Chamber of Commerce.

In his personal life, Mr. Fortner enjoys collecting German nutcrackers, following sports and training in martial arts. He also collects boxing and MMA memorabilia. Looking ahead, he remains focused on expanding Fortner's Home Connection while pursuing personal growth. His long-term vision includes strengthening both his professional achievements and his overall well-being.

Mr. Fortner's story reflects the resilience of an entrepreneur who turned setbacks into opportunities. His career shows how hard work, adaptability and faith can drive success in multiple fields while leaving a lasting impact on both industry and community.

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 of endeavor, 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 around the world. 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