Jim Fortner, the owner, manager and chief executive officer of Fortner's Home Connection in Middlesboro, has been named to Marquis Who’s Who for Excellence in Business Ownership and Development. (Photo submitted)

Jim Fortner has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value.

Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

A distinguished entrepreneur and business leader, Mr. Fortner has made significant strides in his career, particularly as the owner, manager and chief executive officer of Fortner’s Home Connection. Established in 2022, Fortner’s Home Connection provides a wide array of home appliances such as dishwashers, refrigerators, bedding and lawn and garden equipment to help individuals and families build and maintain their dream home. From opening the store and preparing the register to ensuring that displays are organized and greeting customers, he is deeply involved in the day-to-day operations of his business. His dedication to building it from the ground up is evident in his hands-on approach and commitment to lead generation and sales.

Prior to establishing Fortner’s Home Connection, Mr. Fortner served as the store manager at Sears in Middlesboro from 2017 to 2022. During this time, he further honed his skills in retail management and customer service, strengthening the foundation for his current endeavors with Fortner’s Home Connection. He also hails from a wealth of previous entrepreneurial experience, having owned a rental house business and operated a martial arts studio for more than a decade. Furthermore, he has been deeply involved in the natural resource sector as the co-owner of a coal property in West Virginia alongside his brother and cousin, a successful venture which they established nearly 20 years ago.

Also finding success as a pharmaceutical representative, Mr. Fortner has been recognized with national sales awards for his work in promoting and selling Valtrex and Lotronex medications in multiple therapeutic areas. Though his career counts many remarkable milestones, he is particularly proud to have developed a brand new product line for his father, a project that generated $250,000 in its first year.

Before venturing onto his entrepreneurial path, Mr. Fortner laid a strong foundation for his business ventures by earning a Master of Business Administration in 1999 and a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1994, both from Lincoln Memorial University. He attributes much of his success to this combination of education, upbringing and work experience as well as the life lessons learned from his father, a self-made multimillionaire.

As an ongoing commitment to his field, Mr. Fortner is actively involved in several industry-related organizations. He is a member of the Bell County Chamber of Commerce and the Alpha Lambda Zeta/Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, where he has been recognized as both Alpha of the Year and Alumni of the Year. Also passionate about practicing martial arts and maintaining an active lifestyle, he holds a seventh-degree black belt with the International Society of Black Belts.

Known for his contributions as a civic-minded citizen, Mr. Fortner has served as past president of the Elks Lodge and is an active member of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal entity dedicated to charitable and community-centered endeavors. In his personal life, he enjoys collecting German nutcrackers and sports memorabilia and continues to engage in his martial arts training.

As he looks toward the future, Mr. Fortner remains committed to becoming the best version of himself both personally and professionally as he continues to expand Fortner Home Connection and its positive impact on individuals, families and his community at large.

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.