 After graduation from the Norwegian College of Agriculture in 1960 he was a research assistant there until 1962, when he became municipal forest manager of Vegårshei and Tvedestrand.He advanced to county forest manager in 1972, county forest director in 1978, and director of the Norwegian Agriculture Agency from 1993 through 1997.He also chaired the Norwegian Forestry Society from 1987 to 1990, having been a board member since 1984.