Eric Wohlforth

Eric E. Wohlforth was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation in January 1995 by Governor Tony Knowles. He served as Vice Chair from 1996 through 1997 and as Chair from 1997 through 1999. He was reelected as Vice Chair in 2001. Mr. Wohlforth was reappointed for four-year terms in 1998 and 2002.

Mr. Wohlforth has served as an attorney, senior partner and member of the law firm Wohlforth, Johnson, Brecht, Cartledge & Brooking (and predecessors) from 1966 to 1970 and 1973 to the present. He developed Alaska's first and largest public finance law practice, and has been lead bond attorney for major Alaska public agency issuers such as the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), the Alaska Energy Authority, the Alaska Municipal Bond Bank Authority (AMBBA), and for Alaska municipalities. He was the initial draftsperson on AHFC, AMBBA, and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority legislation. Mr. Wohlforth has represented investment banks and commercial banks in lending, investment, and trust areas. Over a 34-year period he has formulated authorizing legislation and security documentation in issuances of more than $12 billion of debt.

Appointed Commissioner of Revenue for the State of Alaska by Governor William A. Egan from 1970 to 1972, Mr. Wohlforth was in charge of investing $900 million in State receipts from oil lease sales. From 1973 to 1980, he was a member of the State Investment Advisory CommIITee.

During 1957 - 1966, he served as an associate attorney in New York City for the law firm of Hawkins, Delafield & Wood; specializing in public finance law.

Mr. Wohlforth holds a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Upon completion of his law degree, he was admIITed to practice law in the State of New York in 1958, and in the State of Alaska in 1967. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Princeton University in 1954, and a Master of Religious Education from Loyola University School of Ministry Extension in 1990, and a Master of Arts in Organization Development from Fielding Graduate Institute in 2001.

From 1972 to the present, he has served as chancellor for the Episcopal Diocese of Alaska, and between 1976 and 1994, was an Alaskan deputy to each triennial General Convention of the Episcopal Church. Mr. Wohlforth served as president for the Anchorage Library Foundation from 1981 to 1996; and as a trustee for the William A. Egan Cancer Research Foundation from 1984 to the present.

Mr. Wohlforth has been an Alaska resident since 1966 and resides in Anchorage. He is married to Caroline. His son, Charles, was on the Anchorage Assembly 1997-2000. His daughter-in-law Barbara is a teacher at Rogers Park Elementary.

Verbatim Transcript of American Association of Energy Economics, Anchorage Chapter (International Association of Energy Economics), Arco Alaska, 700 G Street, Anchorage on February 25, 1999 during the Question and Answer Period.

Theresa Obermeyer:
”Let me ask. May we ask questions now? Eric, I would like to ask you. . . and I just always enjoy seeing you. . . What is your response as the current Chair, Alaska Permanent Fund Board, and as an American, and as a long time licensed attorney in this state, do you believe that our country is based on a system of checks and balances, and do you believe that the Permanent Fund Board members should be confirmed by the Legislature so that we don’t have to sit here and always be told numbers; can’t. . .,aren’t we all; these people you have already said, Eric, are some of the brightest people around, shouldn’t they be able as individuals to deal with whatever is going on and analyze things as thinking Americans? The question is:Do you believe that your job should have to be confirmed by the Legislature?”

Wohlforth:
”Dr. Obermeyer, I entirely agree that the Board should be appointed by the Governor, confirmed by the Legislature, and serve for 10 year terms. . . Not be subject to firing as will as they currently are so I completely agree with your position and I think it is unfortunate that we have a system where each Administration throws all the old Trustees out and the new Trustees sit there with the notion: ’My God, I am responsible for $25 Billion bucks’ and the people of the State suffer for six or eight months while they achieve a learning curve so I agree with you 100 Percent.”

Obermeyer:
”. . .but has it only been in this Administration that he threw; that Tony Knowles threw everyone off? Before that, there were staggered four year terms. . .”

Individual Investment Transaction Disclosure and APOC Financial Disclosure Statements: