The First Trustee

WEEKLY EDITION • February 4, 2026

In this first article of a quarterly series in 2026, Jay Hughes and Keith Whitaker turn their attention to a pivotal but often underexamined moment: the experience of engaging a trustee for the first time. Drawing on decades of advisory practice, scholarship, and fiduciary service, they illuminate why the “first trustee” moment can profoundly shape family governance—either constraining it or opening the door to learning, alignment, and long-term effectiveness. Using the metaphor of a play, the authors offer advisors a practical and deeply human framework for helping families navigate this transition with greater intention, clarity, and confidence.