He was born on July 9, 1936, in St. Paul, Minnesota and graduated from Axtell High School in 1954, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1958, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1961 with an M.D.
He is currently a member of the American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, and First Lutheran Church of Kearney and a former member of the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce.
He was appointed to the Nebraska legislature by Governor Mike Johanns on July 1, 2002, to replace Doug Kristensen who had resigned.
He was then elected in 2002 to represent the 37th Nebraska legislative district and reelected in 2004.
He sat on the Banking, Commerce and Insurance, and Health and Human Services committees.