Blake Paulson

Blake Paulson, a career national bank examiner, is the Acting Comptroller of the Currency.
Paulson became Acting Comptroller of the Currency on January 14, 2021, upon the resignation of Acting Comptroller of the Currency Brian P. Brooks. As Acting Comptroller of the Currency, Mr. Paulson is the administrator of the federal banking system and chief officer of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The OCC supervises nearly 1,200 national banks, federal savings associations, and federal branches and agencies of foreign banks that conduct approximately 70 percent of all banking business in the United States as of December 31, 2021. The mission of the OCC is to ensure that national banks and federal savings associations operate in a safe and sound manner, provide fair access to financial services, treat customers fairly, and comply with applicable laws and regulations.
The Comptroller also serves as a director of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and a member of the Financial Stability Oversight Council and the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council.
Paulson also serves as the Senior Deputy Comptroller and Chief Operating Officer at the OCC. In this role, he oversees OCC bank supervision and OCC management operations, as well as staff responsible for Systemic Risk Identification Support and Specialty Supervision, and Supervision System and Analytical Support. He serves as a member of the OCC's Executive Committee and was designated the Chief National Bank Examiner in April 2020.
Paulson previously served as the Senior Deputy Comptroller for Midsize and Community Bank Supervision, where he was responsible for supervising nearly 1,100 national banks and federal savings associations, as well as nearly 1,600 OCC employees. He also previously served as the Deputy Comptroller for the agency's Central District where he was responsible for the oversight of community banks and federal savings associations, independent data service providers and trust companies across the upper Midwest.
Before serving as Deputy Comptroller, Paulson served as Associate Deputy Comptroller in the Central District, where oversaw nine field offices, and was an Assistant Deputy Comptroller for Midsize Bank Supervision where he was responsible for a portfolio of national banks with total assets between $10 billion and $30 billion.
Paulson joined the OCC in 1986 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and has since held a variety of positions throughout the Midwest supervising community, midsize, and large banks.
Paulson has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota.