degree from Rutgers University in 1954, he served as a United States Naval Aviator, rising to the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade and later to Captain in the Reserves.
He moved to Florida, where he was a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge John Milton Bryan Simpson (1960–1961) and an assistant U.S. attorney (1962–67).
The following year he was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly from District 7-A encompassing western Middlesex County.
He was named Speaker in January 1977, following the election of incumbent Joseph A. LeFante to the United States House of Representatives.
However his candidacy was hurt in its early stages when key Municipal Chairs in his home county of Middlesex declined to endorse him.