First Western Trust Bank has announced that D Nick Forss and David Kuhn have recently been hired to bolster its Colorado franchise.

Forss steps in from US Bank, where he was a member of the business banking group. At First Western Trust, he assumes the role of vice president, responsible for client banking and lending activities at the firm's Cherry Creek branch. Kuhn joins the firm from Wells Fargo Wealth Management and is now senior vice president and portfolio manager for the First Western Trust's Denver unit.

The bank has been stepping up growth efforts after being recognized as a leader in the banking community by the Denver Business Journal. First Western Trust is a private bank that caters mostly to Western clients in the areas of wealth planning, investment management and trust services. It ovesees over $4 billion in assets under management.