Jim Forbes '75
When Jim Forbes thinks back on his time at Riordan, one moment still stands out — the exhilarating bus ride home after the football team defeated Saint Francis. Surrounded by teammates, the sound of laughter and victory songs as they left the field, Jim realized how deeply connected the Riordan community was. Whether you participated athletics, drama, band, or student council, everyone supported each other and felt part of one big family shaped by inspiring teachers like Mr. Keith Stapleton and Mr. Ron Isola. Those experiences, both in the classroom and on the field, instilled in him collaboration, inclusiveness, adaptability, and the confidence to face whatever came next. Like his three alumni brothers — Jack ’73, Joe ’78, and Jeff ’80 — Riordan was becoming a part of who he was, and who he would become.
From a young age, Jim dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a police officer. During his senior year at Riordan, he scored exceptionally high on the initial written exam and was well on his way toward fulfilling that dream. Since you had to be 21 to join the force, he enrolled in criminology classes at City College and joined the San Francisco Police Cadet program for two years. Shortly after his 21st birthday, Jim took the San Francisco Police Academy physical exam and received devastating news — a pre-existing condition would prevent him from ever becoming a police officer. Rather than letting that setback define him, Jim leaned on the Riordan values he had absorbed: work hard, stay adaptable, and never be afraid to try something new.
With his dream of being a police officer no longer possible, he took an entry-level job at Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) loading bags and cleaning airplanes — again guided by the principles he had learned at Riordan: stay open-minded, work hard, communicate clearly, and never be afraid to try something new. Those fundamentals became the foundation of an unexpected career journey, carrying him from his San Francisco beginnings into the fast-paced world of air cargo and global logistics.
After years of working his way up the ranks, Jim joined Atlas Air & Polar Air Cargo in 2001 as Vice President of Worldwide Ground Operations, later moving into senior leadership roles at Polar Air Cargo and Southern Air. In 2020, he was named Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Atlas Air Worldwide, helping lead one of the largest cargo airlines on the globe. In a remarkable full-circle moment, the company where he first stepped into leadership two decades earlier became the place where he closed his celebrated career — retiring in 2023 as EVP & COO of Atlas Air Worldwide.
Jim and his wife of 47 years, Judy, reside in Naples, Florida. They have three married adult children who have blessed them with seven grandchildren.
With his 50th reunion coming up next month, Jim still carries those Riordan values with pride. He remains close with many of his classmates, still checks in on Crusader football scores, and takes great satisfaction in being able to give back to the school that gave him so much. “Riordan was so much more than a high school,” Jim reflects. “It changed my life in ways I couldn’t grasp at the time. Not always angels,” he adds with a smile, “but a brotherhood, a family — a real community that’s still part of me to this day.”
