1970 to 1974 Elementary school in Stenern; 1974 to 1983 St. Josef Grammar School of the Capuchins in Bocholt; 1983 to 1988 Studies in Business Administration at the Westphalian Wilhelms University in Münster, degree Diplom; 1984 to 1986 Studies in Catholic Theology, degree Vordiplom. 1988 to 1992 research assistant at the Chair of Finance at the University of Münster, doctorate Dr. rer. pol; 1992 to 1998 research assistant at the University of Münster and at the University of Augsburg, habilitation Dr. rer. pol habil.; 1998 to 1999 private lecturer C1 at the University of Augsburg and substitute professor for finance at the University of Münster; 1999 to 2001 university professor C3 for finance and investment at the Hamburg University of Economics and Politics; 2001 to 2004 university professor C4 for finance and banking at the University of Bayreuth. 2004 to 2011 mayor of the municipality of Lindlar; 2012 to 2017 district administrator of the Rheinisch-Bergisch district. Member of the Bundestag since October 2017, full member of the Finance Committee, full member of the Committee for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth since 20th WP, deputy member of the Committee for Transport and Digital Infrastructure. Chairman of the Catholic Working Group for Family Recreation e.V. and the Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Familienerholung since 2018, head of the cathol. association ND (Bund Neudeutschland) since 2020.