Born and raised in Bremen, Germany. I left Germany in 1977, and decided to pursue an apprenticeship in Mexico City, joining one of the world’s largest privately owned trading firms in the cotton and coffee industry.
For two decades, I immersed myself in the dynamic world of international trade, eventually rising to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) within the group at ECOM USA, based in Dallas, Texas.
My responsibilities extended beyond operations—I actively shaped financial strategies and marketing initiatives.

In 1996, my life took a new turn. Alongside my wife and three children, I relocated to the Monterey Peninsula.
Inspired by the local community, I founded “Santa Lucia Market” in downtown Monterey in 1997 which I sold nearly two decades later.
In 2008 I finally became American citizen, just in time to pledge my vote for Barack Obama our 44th President.

My commitment to service led me to volunteer with Meals on Wheels of the Monterey Peninsula. After volunteering, I was employed as their executive chef, dedicating almost six years to the elderly who are in need.
Retirement in 2022 didn’t slow me down. I continued volunteering with various nonprofits, driven by a desire to give back.
As a former board member of the OMBA (Old Monterey Business Association) and an initial board member of the OMF (Old Monterey Foundation), and currently on the board of the New Monterey Neighborhood Association, I witnessed firsthand the economic transformations shaping Monterey over the past three decades.