Born on December 4, 1929, in Linkjoping, Sweden, he prepared for college at a number of schools in Norway and the United States and entered Bowdoin in February of 1951, becoming a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity. Following his graduation in June of 1954, he did graduate work at the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College. For some years he was associated with the Empire Trust Company in New York City as a credit investigator. Later, he became an assistant to the deputy superintendent of the New York State Banking Department in New York City.