is the Minister for agriculture and forestry, land reform and financial responsibilities for local authorities within the Upper Austrian Regional Government. Born in 1958, he studied law at the Johannes Kepler University in Linz. From 1984 to 1989 he worked in the department for agriculture in the Administration of the Government of Upper Austria. From 1989 to 1997, he was the Director of Farmer's Association "Bauernbund". He then became the Chairman of the Upper Austrian People’s Party in the Regional Parliament. Since 2003, he is the elected Member of the Upper Austrian Regional Government.