Two Ocean Trust, a Jackson Hole, Wyo.-based trust company, has appointed Albert Forkner to the position of chief risk and compliance officer, as well as a member of its board of directors, a news release announced.

"Albert's extensive experience in both traditional finance and digital assets regulation makes him an ideal addition to Two Ocean Trust,” Joel Revill, CEO of Two Ocean Trust, said in a prepared statement. “He has been at the forefront of regulatory conversations on a national level, placing him in a unique position to manage risk and ensure full compliance across all aspects of our business, whether investment management, trust services or PTC administration for clients. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome him to Two Ocean."

In his new role, Forkner will be responsible for overseeing all risk management and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and international regulatory requirements, both for clients and for Two Ocean Trust itself, the release said. Forkner’s responsibilities also include the administration of laws and regulations governing all state-chartered banks and non-depository trust companies; fostering innovation and economic opportunities in the state; and regularly meeting with senior leadership of the FDIC, Federal Reserve and the CFPB.

Forkner has held oversight and regulatory positions at the Wyoming Division of Banking for more than 20 years. Beginning as a bank examiner in 1996, he assumed increasing responsibilities in new roles, eventually being named State Banking Commissioner in 2012, a position he held for 10 years, the release said

Since 2011, he has held leadership roles at the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, including serving as chairman, and at the Wyoming Division of Banking, where he was instrumental in establishing compliance and regulatory protocols for the creation of private trust companies (PTCs) and the handling of digital assets that reportedly made Wyoming a leader and top destination for these services, according to the news release.

Forkner earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Wyoming, where he was a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, one of the oldest and largest business fraternities, the release said.

“I recognized the depth of knowledge and the quality of character they bring to work every day,” he said in a prepared statement. “This is an industry built on trust and relationships, and Two Ocean has made these ideals the hallmark of how they do business. I’m excited to join an enterprise built on experience and traditional values, but looking every day to innovate and bring their clients results they can have complete confidence in.”

Founded in 2019, Two Ocean Trust provides generational wealth management for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, and foundations.