Remembering Accounting Manager Nell Foresman during Women’s History Month

Remembering Accounting Manager Nell Foresman during Women’s History Month

In the 1960s, Nell Foresman was one of just 50 women working at Louisville Water.

According to current HR Coordinator Lorna Bille, Foresman began her career at the company as a bookkeeper in July 1962. For the next 30-plus years, she worked her way up to becoming an  accounting manager and then assistant secretary treasurer.

Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, Foresman graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1955.

Seven years later, she started working at Louisville Water.

Archive Specialist Jay Ferguson said that back then, women at Louisville Water had to follow a dress code which did not include pants – dresses or skirts only.

Community Relations Specialist and retiree Ginny Adwell worked with Foresman and said she was known for her sense of style.

“She was elegance, grace, and professionalism all rolled into one,” Adwell said. “She taught me so much about myself in addition to finance and accounting.”

Adwell worked for Foresman for about five years before Foresman retired in the mid-1990s. She even remembers one of the questions she asked during her interview.

“She asked me if my checkbook was balanced down to the penny. ‘Right here, right now, if you were to show me your checkbook, would it be balanced?’” Adwell reminisced. “I told her I’m within a dollar.”

Adwell’s honesty paid off and she said Foresman hired her on the spot.

Foresman also served as a mentor during Youth Appreciation Week in 1968.

She’s seen in the picture with Male High School student Vicki Williams.

After retiring in July 1995, Foresman enjoyed professional dancing and performed quite often.

She passed away in July 2021, leaving a legacy upheld by her grandchildren who work in the utility and accounting industries.