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A New Culinary Partnership with VMRC | Forefront

sean.macgregor@americaneagle.com — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 16:02:01 GMT

Elevating senior living dining through healthy, nourishing food and hospitality that brings people together

Dining plays an important role in shaping daily life within a senior living community. Thoughtfully designed senior living dining programs support wellbeing and create meaningful moments of connection.

With that belief at the center of our work, Forefront is proud to announce a new partnership with Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community (VMRC), a respected senior living organization known for its strong culture and commitment to helping residents age well and live fully.

Founded more than 70 years ago in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community (VMRC), has grown into one of the region’s leading and most respected continuing care retirement communities. Today, VMRC serves hundreds of residents across a full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, memory care, short-term rehabilitation, and transitional care. The community also offers a wellness center along with a wide range of arts, enrichment, and lifestyle programs designed to support active, engaged living.

“We’re ready to get started with Forefront and their award-winning approach to creating fine culinary experiences,” said Scott Richardson, Vice President of Independent Living, including dining services. “Our new partner is well positioned to leverage our unique assets, such as our farm, to deliver experiences rooted in quality, freshness, and seasonal ingredients.”

Forefront shares that enthusiasm.

“This partnership represents a natural alignment,” said Dan Bowen, CEO of Forefront. “VMRC has built a strong culture centered on community and care. We are excited to build on that foundation through healthy, nourishing food that brings people together and a hospitality experience that reflects the heart of their community.”

Dining Designed Around Community Life

Dining at VMRC offers something for every taste and every occasion. The Main Street Cafe provides a quick and casual experience. Seed & Harvest delivers upscale and creative dining, while the nearby Espresso Bar extends trendy eats and drinks to guests. The Grille features mindful meal creations, and the Harman Dining Room offers an elegant setting.

At the heart of it all is The Farm at Willow Run, a 40-acre working farm less than a mile from campus that supplies much of the produce used in VMRC’s dining program. Since acquiring the property in 2008, the community has developed a robust farm-to-table system that brings fresh vegetables, greens, herbs, and seasonal ingredients directly into campus kitchens—many harvested the same day they are served. The farm, which achieved USDA Organic certification in 2024, produces a wide variety of crops throughout the year and reflects VMRC’s long-standing commitment to freshness, sustainability, and nourishing food grown close to home.

Together, Forefront and VMRC will focus on:

Expanding seasonal and farm-driven menus
Enhancing hospitality across every venue
Creating memorable culinary moments for residents and guests
Strengthening the connection between food, wellbeing, and community

With VMRC’s commitment to excellence and Forefront’s people-first culture and expertise in culinary and support services within senior living, this partnership is rooted in shared values and a vision for better living.

We look forward to serving the residents, families, and team members of VMRC and building meaningful relationships across campus in the months ahead.

Contract Award - Little Rock AFB | Forefront

megan.kendall@americaneagle.com — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:33:14 GMT

Forefront Government Services Begins Operations at Little Rock Air Force Base Under New Contract

Forefront Government Services has been awarded the contract for Operations & Maintenance (Facility Management) for the USAF 19^th Medical Group at Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville, AR.

Little Rock Air Force Base, known as “Home of Herc Nation”, is the primary C-130 Hercules training base for all branches of the Department of Defense. The base provides training for C-130 pilots, navigators, flight engineers and load masters in tactical airlift and aerial delivery. Little Rock AFB is the 4^th largest employer in the State of Arkansas.

The 19^th Medical Group provides ambulatory care, flight medicine, pediatric care women’s health, physical therapy and other preventative medicine services. Forefront is proving full facility management, maintenance, and repair services across the 19th Medical Group Clinic, Facility Veterinary Clinic, HSMR Warehouse, and associated storage facilities supporting the Defense Health Agency’s mission.

This contract was awarded as a part of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Little Rock District MATOC for Operations & Maintenance. The Forefront team is committed to delivering the highest standards of service, fully aligned with The Joint Commission, NFPA and all applicable regulations with optional services such as pest control and personal property O&M available as authorized. This award reflects Forefront’s continued dedication to excellence in supporting military healthcare environments.

About Forefront Government Services: We maintain clean, safe, healthy, and resilient environments that enhance the lives and mission of the government, military, and scientific communities we serve.

We support some of the nation’s most advanced facilities and mission critical infrastructure. Forefront Government Services is currently serving at government facilities with our partners at both CONUS and OCONUS sites.

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Contract Award - Reynolds Army Health Clinic | Forefront

megan.kendall@americaneagle.com — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 16:28:25 GMT

Forefront Government Services Begins Operations at Reynolds Army Health Clinic at Fort Sill Under New O&M Contract

Forefront Government Services has been awarded the contract to provide Operations & Maintenance (Facility Management) at Reynolds Army Health Clinic at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma.

Fort Sill is a major US Army post and is the headquarters of the US Army Fires Center of Excellence training over 20,000 military personnel annually in field artillery, air defense artillery and electronic warfare. Fort Sill hosts over 53,000 military and civilian personnel. Fort Sill units have participated in every major conflict since its founding as a cavalry outpost.

Reynolds Army Health Clinic provides ambulatory services, active-duty primary care, children’s health, women’s health, lab services, radiology, advanced rehabilitative services, and troop leadership medical services. The contract covers the Reynolds Army Health Clinic, the McAlester AAP Occupational Health Clinic, and the Pine Bluff Arsenal Occupational Health Clinic. This new task order through the USACE Little Rock District MATOC reflects the trust placed in our team and our continued commitment to delivering dependable, high-quality support for military medical facilities.

At Forefront, we’re proud to bring our standards-driven approach, aligned with The Joint Commission, NFPA, and DHA requirements, to these important defense communities. We’re honored to support the dedicated service members and teams at each location and look forward to building strong partnerships along the way.

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Detroit Freepress Top Workplaces 2025 | Forefront

megan.kendall@americaneagle.com — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 16:24:13 GMT

Michigan-based support services company earns a top-10 spot for the third year in a row.

St. Clair Shores, Michigan – Forefront Named a Top Workplace for 2025!

We’re incredibly proud to share that Forefront has ranked 2nd on the Detroit Free Press Michigan Top Workplaces list for 2025, along with also winning in the “Managers Award” category. This marks our third consecutive Top Workplaces honor following our 10th ranking in 2024 and placing 6th among 150 companies in 2023, in addition to the “New Ideas” award.

What makes this recognition so meaningful is that it’s based entirely on anonymous employee feedback through the trusted Workplace Survey administered by Energage. The survey measures what truly matters in the employee experience: feeling supported, respected, empowered, and able to grow, core elements of the culture we strive to build every day.

“We’re honored to be recognized as a Top Workplace for the third year in a row,” said Dan Bowen, CEO & Co-Founder of Forefront. “This year, more than 6,900 companies were invited to participate, and nearly 90,000 employees across Michigan shared their feedback. To be named among the 201 employers who earned this distinction is something we don’t take lightly.

This recognition is a direct reflection of our team’s dedication and the culture we continue to build together. Our goal has always been to create an environment where every associate feels valued, supported, and encouraged to bring new ideas forward. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and excited for what the future holds.”

#TopWorkplaces #ForefrontHealthcare #AwardWinningCulture #PeopleFirst #BetterLiving

About Forefront
Forefront is a specialized culinary and support services company serving mission driven organizations in healthcare, senior living and government throughout the United States. We create healthy, nourishing foods and maintain clean, safe and resilient environments that enhance the lives and communities we serve. For more information, visit www.oneforefront.com.

About Energage
Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 18 years of culture research and the results from 27 million employees surveyed across more than 70,000 organizations,  Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com

Modern Healthcare 2025 Best Places to Work | Forefront

megan.kendall@americaneagle.com — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 16:18:32 GMT

Forefront Named to the Modern Healthcare 2025 Best Places to Work list

Forefront has been ranked 5th nationwide on the Modern Healthcare 2025 Best Places to Work list. The list, which ranks the top 76 companies in the supplier category and 76 in the provider and insurer category, features organizations from across the country. Some have a few dozen workers based in the U.S., while others have tens of thousands of employees.

This marks our fourth consecutive year in the top 10, and more than any number, it reflects the people who make Forefront what it is.

Our teams bring care, creativity, and purpose into everything they do. They show up for one another, for our clients, and for those we serve, elevating every day through genuine hospitality and service.

This recognition is not possible without them. To everyone who makes Forefront a place people love to work and a company others love to work with, thank you.

Who selects the winners for this program?
Winning organizations are selected based on a quantitative assessment conducted by our partner, Workforce Research Group.

What criteria is used to select winning companies?
Experts from our partner, Workforce Research Group, determine a score for each organization based on a two-part assessment. Twenty percent of the score comes from an employer assessment, and the remaining 80% comes from employee feedback surveys. The organizations with the top 76 scores in each category (provider/insurer and supplier) made the list in 2025.

Did multiple nominations for the same organization influence the selection process?
No, multiple submissions for one organization did not influence the selection process in any way.

About Forefront
Forefront is a specialized culinary and support services company serving mission-driven organizations in healthcare, senior living, education, and government throughout the United States. Forefront creates healthy, nourishing foods and maintains clean, safe, and resilient environments that enhance the lives and communities they serve. For more information, visit www.oneforefront.com.

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Forefront ranks No. 1505 among America’s fastest-growing private companies | Forefront

megan.kendall@americaneagle.com — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 16:13:19 GMT

Forefront Named to Inc. 5000 List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

Earning a place on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list for 2025, ranked No. 1505! This honor places Forefront among an elite group of high-performing businesses that have demonstrated extraordinary growth, innovation, and resilience over the past three years.

The Inc. 5000 list has served as a hallmark of entrepreneurial success since 1982, showcasing companies that are not only expanding rapidly but also shaping the future of American business.

Forefront by the Numbers:

No. 1505 overall in the U.S.
1 of only 146 companies in the Healthcare & Medical field
1 of 21 companies from Michigan
1 of just 15 proudly representing the city of Detroit

About Forefront:
Forefront is a specialized culinary and support services company that partners with mission-driven organizations to deliver nutritious meals, safe environments, and resilient facility solutions. Our work empowers healthcare systems, senior living communities, schools, and government entities to focus on what matters most—serving people.

Whether it’s creating meals that heal or ensuring spaces are clean and cared for, Forefront is committed to elevating the standard of service in essential industries.

About the Inc. 5000:
The Inc. 5000 list, published annually by Inc. Magazine, ranks private U.S.-based companies according to percentage revenue growth over a three-year period. To qualify, companies must be privately held, for-profit, and independent, and meet strict revenue thresholds. Companies featured on the list gain national recognition and join a powerful community of trailblazers and leaders—past honorees include Chobani, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and Zappos.

Learn more about the Inc. 5000 here.
To explore our services and story, visit us at: www.oneforefront.com

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Detroit Free Press names Forefront the #1 Best Place to Work in Southeast Michigan | Forefront

megan.kendall@americaneagle.com — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:00:26 GMT

Forefront Healthcare Named #1 Best Place to Work in Southeast Michigan 2025 by Crain’s Detroit Business

St. Clair Shores, Mich. – August 22, 2025 – Forefront Healthcare is proud to announce that it has been named the #1 Best Place to Work in Southeast Michigan 2025 by Crain’s Detroit Business. Forefront ranked #1 in the large business category as well as #1 overall across all businesses, a recognition that underscores the company’s ongoing commitment to cultivating a workplace where employees thrive.

This year’s honor marks another milestone for Forefront, which was also recognized as the #1 Best Place to Work in 2023. Founded just six years ago, Forefront provides culinary and nutrition services, facility management, and support services for healthcare organizations nationwide.

Forefront’s workplace culture is distinguished by:

Employee-Centered Perks – From pet-friendly offices and catered meals prepared by corporate chefs to unique experiences like sporting events and community volunteer opportunities during work hours.

Professional Growth – Tuition reimbursement, certification support, and development programs that help team members advance their careers.

Wellness & Support – Comprehensive benefits including paid family leave, bereavement and counseling services, financial support programs, and identity theft protection.

Community Impact – A strong commitment to volunteerism and social responsibility that allows employees to give back to their communities.

Crain’s Detroit Business partners with Workforce Research Group to evaluate applicants through a rigorous process. The methodology includes an employer questionnaire (20% of the score) and an extensive employee engagement survey (80% of the score), measuring employee experience, role satisfaction, leadership, workplace culture, training, and work-life balance. This year, 92 companies earned recognition on Crain’s 2025 Best Places to Work list.

Forefront’s recognition as the #1 Best Place to Work overall in Southeast Michigan is a testament to its intentional culture, engaged workforce, and vision to create a workplace where people and performance thrive together.

About Forefront:

Founded six years ago, Forefront, which provides culinary and nutrition, facility management and other services for health care facilities, strives to exceed client and employee expectations. In addition to getting catered meals crafted by corporate chefs, staff can also bring pets to work, attend “Go to a Game” sporting events and participate in employee resource groups.

Forefront allows employees to volunteer during work hours and provides identity theft coverage, paid time off for employees to care for family members, and bereavement, financial and drug and alcoholism counseling. And employees receive tuition/fee reimbursement for professional education, certification and advanced degree programs.

For the complete list of winners and rankings, see CrainsDetroit.com/BestPlacestoWork. The 92 Best Places to Work will also appear in the print edition.

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Forefront Government Services Begins Operations at Naval Air Station Lemoore Under New O&M Contract | Forefront

megan.kendall@americaneagle.com — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 15:56:59 GMT

August 1, 2025 – Forefront Government Services is proud to announce the commencement of a new Operations and Maintenance (O&M) contract at Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, California, supporting the Naval Health Clinic Lemoore and associated medical facilities. The contract, awarded on July 22, included a 30-day transition period, with full operations officially beginning August 1, 2025.

This contract is a result of Forefront’s successful award under a Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Little Rock District. Under the task order, Forefront will provide comprehensive operations, maintenance, repair, and facility management services at Defense Health Agency (DHA) Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs) on base.

Scope of Work
Forefront is responsible for delivering all required labor, materials, tools, vehicles, supervision, subcontractor management, and compliance reporting necessary to fulfill the O&M scope. All services will be performed in accordance with the contract’s Performance Work Statement (PWS), as well as industry regulations including NFPA, The Joint Commission (TJC), and DHA standards.

About NAS Lemoore
Commissioned in 1961, NAS Lemoore is a critical hub for Navy aviation. It is home to the Commander Strike Fighter Wing Pacific and hosts more than half of the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet. It is the only Navy installation that houses the F-35C Lightning II, with over 210,000 flight operations annually. The base generates nearly $947 million annually for the local economy and supports approximately 8,500 jobs in Kings County and the surrounding area.

“We are honored to serve the mission at NAS Lemoore and proud to support the operational readiness of its medical infrastructure,” said Ace Burt, of Forefront. “This award reflects our team’s expertise and commitment to delivering reliable, high-compliance support in defense environments.”

Forefront Government Services continues to grow its government facilities portfolio with a focus on excellence, safety, and mission readiness.

About Forefront Government Services
We maintain clean, safe, healthy, and resilient environments that enhance the lives and mission of the government, military, and scientific communities we serve.

We support some of the nation’s most advanced facilities and mission critical infrastructure. Forefront Government Services is currently serving at government facilities with our partners at both CONUS and OCONUS sites.

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Forefront Partners with Babylon Micro-Farms to Bring Fresh, Hyperlocal Produce to Senior Living Communities | Forefront

megan.kendall@americaneagle.com — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 15:50:05 GMT

Forefront has announced a strategic partnership with Babylon Micro-Farms

St. Clair Shores, Mich. – June 30, 2025 – Forefront, a leading provider of culinary and support services to senior living and healthcare communities nationwide, has announced a strategic partnership with Babylon Micro-Farms, a pioneer in vertical hydroponic farming. The collaboration brings Babylon’s self-contained, tech-powered growing systems into Forefront-operated communities, starting with a successful launch at eliseo in Tacoma, Washington.

The partnership reflects Forefront’s commitment to elevating the resident dining experience through wellness-focused, sustainable innovations — and is a major step forward in its expanding Farm-to-Table initiative.

“At Forefront, we believe food is at the heart of living well,” said Rob Pasos, President Culinary & Nutrition Services. “Babylon’s micro-farms allow us to serve produce that’s grown steps away from the table, reinforcing our mission to nourish both body and spirit.”

Founded in 2017, Babylon Micro-Farms develops plug-and-play hydroponic units that can grow over 45 varieties of leafy greens, herbs, and edible flowers — all managed through a cloud-connected platform called BabylonIQ. With minimal labor and no prior gardening experience required, the farms are ideal for healthcare and senior living environments where freshness, sustainability, and ease of use are key.

The first Babylon unit at eliseo produced a vibrant harvest of arugula and basil, which was quickly featured in a seasonal bistro special. Residents were invited to participate in the harvest, creating new engagement opportunities and deeper connections to the food they enjoy daily.

“Knowing our greens were grown right here, by us — it just made lunch feel even more special,” said one eliseo resident.

Forefront understands that dining is not just about nutrition — it’s about experience. This partnership highlights how forward-thinking operators can use our technology to inspire healthier, more connected communities.

More Forefront-operated communities are scheduled to receive Babylon units in the coming months as part of a growing wellness and sustainability effort across the organization.

About Forefront
Forefront is a specialized culinary and support services company serving senior living, healthcare, education, and government organizations across the United States. Known for its high-touch, hospitality-driven approach, Forefront delivers innovative dining, environmental, and operational services tailored to the unique needs of mission-driven communities.

About Babylon Micro-Farms
Babylon Micro-Farms is a Richmond, Virginia-based ag-tech company making sustainable, indoor farming accessible to everyone. Its award-winning hydroponic micro-farms are used across industries to grow fresh, pesticide-free produce on site, all year round. Babylon’s systems are designed to minimize labor and environmental impact while maximizing nutrition, engagement, and transparency.

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Forefront Lands on Inc’s Annual List of Best Workplaces for 2025 | Forefront

megan.kendall@americaneagle.com — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 15:42:57 GMT

Forefront Named to Inc.’s 2025 Best Workplaces List

St. Clair Shores, Mich. – June 17, 2025 Forefront, a leading provider of culinary and support services for mission-driven organizations, has been recognized as one of Inc.’s Best Workplaces for the second year in a row. A prestigious honor awarded to only 514 companies nationwide. This annual list celebrates U.S.-based organizations that prioritize strong workplace culture, exceptional employee benefits, and high levels of employee engagement.

To earn this recognition, Inc. partnered with Quantum Workplace to conduct a comprehensive four-step evaluation process. Applicants were assessed through:

A detailed company application outlining key business information and cultural practices.
A benefits audit reviewing 37 key offerings, from wellness initiatives and paid leave to insurance and employee experience programs.
An in-depth employee engagement survey, with staff rating their experience across 40 prompts related to leadership, compensation, culture, and more.
A final vetting process ensuring each company met editorial standards of ethics, transparency, and accuracy.

Companies had to meet rigorous benchmarks across both the benefits inventory and employee survey, with minimum scores and employee participation thresholds required for consideration.

Forefront’s recognition as an Inc. Best Workplace confirms that its internal values and practices are not only aspirational but actualized, validated directly by the employees who help drive its success.

About Inc. Media
The world’s most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

About Quantum Workplace
Quantum Workplace, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is an HR technology company that helps organizations with employee engagement surveys, goal tracking, recognition programs, and more. For more information, visit www.quantumworkplace.com.

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