Robert A. Zielke, J.D., AIF®, is the Chief Executive Officer & President of the Board of Directors of Altruist Trust Co. & Fiduciary Services, Inc. (Altruist™), where he provides trust administration, fiduciary services, and wealth management to individuals, families, and businesses worldwide with trusts domiciled in Washington State. He has nearly three decades of Chief Executive experience managing distinctly successful legal and trust service business entities, delivering customer-first services anchored by expertise, care, service, and loyalty.

Mr. Zielke is widely respected for his expertise, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to each beneficiary’s well-being. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping Altruist’s mission and culture. Under his leadership, in 2022, Altruist™ became only the 19th in Washington State history to receive a Trust Company Charter from the Washington Department of Financial Institutions.

Mr. Zielke’s journey began in healthcare, where his passion for service led him to become a licensed EMT in high school. He later worked as a registered nurse (RN) and intra-aortic balloon-pump operator in the surgical intensive care unit, where he handled severe trauma and surgical cases before earning his Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) designation at the top of his class. His medical career took him to Alaska and Oregon, where he played key roles and was selected for anesthesia quality assurance, risk management, and infection control committees.

Witnessing firsthand the legal and financial hardships faced by patients and their families, Mr. Zielke was inspired to pursue law. He began his legal career in 1991, focusing on medical negligence, wrongful death, and personal injury litigation. Over time, Mr. Zielke shifted his focus to guiding families through the complexities of trust administration, particularly special needs trusts and other legal settlement preservation trusts.

Mr. Zielke founded Altruist Trust Co. & Fiduciary Services, Inc. in 2022. Robert and his team provide unmatched corporate trust management services for beneficiaries and are dedicated to addressing each beneficiary’s unique circumstances with kindness, compassion, and integrity. His team oversees trust administration, fiduciary, and wealth management services for individuals, families and businesses with a selfless concern for the well-being of others. Mr. Zielke’s fiduciary expertise, reinforced by his Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®) designation, has led to the implementation of rigorous policies protecting trust assets from fraud, waste, and exploitation.

As an industry advocate, Robert continuously champions best practices in fiduciary management. His commitment to excellence and ethical leadership is reflected in Altruist’s guiding principle: to always do what is right—with the courage of a lion.

Mr. Zielke holds a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Oregon School of Law and a Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude from Newman University. He has held numerous Guardian Ad Litem appointments in King, Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, and Yakima counties, and previously served as a court-appointed and independent professional trustee from 2005 to 2022. Mr. Zielke has possessed many licenses and certifications and currently serves or has served as a board or committee member for organizations in Washington and Kansas. He is a featured lecturer and published author, appearing in legal and medical industry publications and professional journals, including Trial News, Professional Negligence Law Reporter, and Ethics & Behavior (a peer-reviewed medical journal).