Born in 1963. Münsterland (North Rhine-Westphalia). Doctorate in geography. Studied geography, economics and regional planning, University of Hanover. Doctorate: Changing Significance of Location Factors in Economic Terms. 1989–1994 Project Director in international management and municipal consultancy firm. 1994-2004, managing director, Osnabrück Chamber of Commerce. 1995-2004, lecturer at the University of Osnabrück. since 2007 Member of board of trustees, Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedecin. 1999-2004, Vice-Chairman, Federation for Safety at Work, Hanover. Since 2004, Vice-Chairman, German and European Policy Education Institute North Rhine-Westphalia (DEPB). Since 2004, coopted member, CDU Steinfurt District Executive, CDU Münster Executive. Since 2007, Member, North Rhine-Westphalia CDU Executive. Since 2008 member of the CDU Borken District Executive. MEP since 2004.