Francois X. Forgette
Francois X. Forgette was appointed to the Board of Regents in May of 2005. He is a partner with the Tri-City law firm of Rettig Osborne Forgette, LLP, which he joined in 1977. His full-time practice includes business, real estate, agriculture, insurance defense and health care and related mediation and civil litigation. Regent Forgette also currently serves as the immediate past chairman of the TRIDEC Board of Directors. TRIDEC is the economic development entity for the Greater Tri-City Area in Benton and Franklin Counties. He is a Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce Board Member. Regent Forgette has also been actively involved in Tri-City education issues. He was named Tri-Citian of the Year in 2001 for his community service. He received the first Proud to be a Lawyer "Hero Award" from the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) in 2000 and the WSBA Board of Governors annual Award for Professionalism in 2001. He was named Kennewick Man of the Year for 2001. Regent Forgette graduated from Seattle Preparatory School in 1970 and the University of Washington in 1974 with a B.A. in English Literature. He then attended Gonzaga Law School in Spokane where he graduated with honors in 1977. He and his wife Debbie live in Kennewick and have two sons, Joseph and Patrick.