Congratulations to John Forshaw, who received the Emerging Leader Award at the HPBExpo26 Ultimate Awards Show on Friday, March 20, 2026. The Emerging Leader Award celebrates a rising professional who has spent eight years or fewer in the industry and is making an impact.
Involvement from an Early Age
Forshaw entered the hearth industry in middle school, when he began working in a fifth-generation family business with small tasks like sweeping floors. “I guess you could say I was born into this industry,” he said. During breaks from school, he worked in “service, delivery, sales, and customer service positions.” While he didn’t always see himself working in the family business at this time, he “began to appreciate the legacy and impact” the business had.
After graduating from Indiana University, he began his professional career at Forshaw of St. Louis, initially working as a field representative in wholesale distribution. He is now the sales manager, building relationships with contractors, retailers, and designers.
Forshaw takes a “collaborative approach” in his leadership. Being a younger person in the industry, he relies on the “older, wiser individuals and businesses for their experience.” Early in his career, his brother told him to always “be ready to say, ‘I don’t know,’” which he now says was “probably the truest statement I’ve heard in my young career.” As such, he’s “always ready to listen and learn.”
Making an Impact
Forshaw is a dedicated volunteer in the hearth industry. He serves on the Midwest HPBA (MWHPBA) board of directors and volunteers on the annual meeting committee, as well as the Missouri government advocacy committee. He has made a significant impact in the Midwest after just one year of involvement in MWHPBA through his leadership, advocacy, and dedication to fostering growth and collaboration.
He puts a large focus on education, training, and professional development because “when someone is educated and trained on a subject, that person becomes more confident in their work around that subject.” As such, he focuses a lot of his time “in making sure our people and our customers are educated so that we can all feel just a little bit more confident in the work we do.”
Always committed to enhancing the visibility of MWHPBA, Forshaw invites the association to participate in distributor events. This helps to expand awareness and engagement with potential new members. He serves as a positive ambassador for the industry, promoting membership, HPBExpo, and the value of collaboration whenever he visits retail locations.
Growing Through Leadership and Advocacy
Since joining the industry, Forshaw has prioritized continuing education, advocacy, and professional growth. He is a graduate of the HPBA Government Affairs Leadership Academy (GALA), which he wanted to join “to better understand what we can do as an industry, and what we can do better for our business.” Forshaw represented the industry on Capitol Hill during the July D.C. Congressional Fly-In, helping build relationships with senators and representatives while advocating for member interests.
Over the past year, he expanded his expertise, advocacy skills, and built meaningful relationships through continued learning and active involvement. His commitment goes beyond personal growth. He is equally focused on making an impact and encouraging others to stay engaged in the industry.
Looking to the future, he’s excited about meeting more people across the industry. He also looks forward to working with others to inspire and connect with people who share the same passion for fire.
A Worthy Winner
Through his experiences, Forshaw has expanded his knowledge, strengthened his advocacy skills, and built relationships to enhance his professional growth, while also contributing to both MWHPBA and the broader hearth industry.
HPBA is proud to recognize John Forshaw as the 2026 Emerging Leader.