MAREK WOŹNIAK

Born on March 5, 1960 in Kalisz.

Education
Marek Woźniak graduated in archaeology from the Faculty of History at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. He also completed a Postgraduate Programme in Local Government at the Faculty of Law at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and a Postgraduate Programme in Local Government and Politics at the Faculty of Sociology at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.

Professional career
In 1990–1994, Marek Woźniak was the Secretary of the Suchy Las Municipality, and from 1994 acted as the plenipotentiary of the Poznań Voivode for the public procurement scheme and the chief editor of the Wielkopolska Public Procurement Bulletin. At that time, he cooperated as a lecturer with the Public Procurement Office in Warsaw.From 1998, Marek Woźniak managed the Regional Office in Poznań as the plenipotentiary for the establishment of the Poznański Poviat. At the same time, in 1994–1998, he was a Councillor of the Suchy Las Municipality. In 1998, he was nominated to the Council of the Poznański Poviat and the Board of the Poznański Poviat. From 2002 to October 2005, he was a Vice-Starost of the Poznański Poviat.

In October 2005, Marek Woźniak assumed the function of the Marshal of the Wielkopolska Region, which he has been holding for the last five consecutive terms of office. In the local government elections held in October 2018, he was elected councillor of the Regional Parliament of the Wielkopolska Region from the Koalicja Obywatelska list, winning the largest number of votes among all councillors (58,004).

He was Vice-Chairperson of the Union of the Regions of the Republic of Poland from February 2011 till January 2019. Since January 2019 he has been appointed as its Board member.

Work in the European Committee of the Regions
Since February 2006, Marshal Marek Woźniak has been a member of the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels. He participates in the work of two commissions: Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER) and Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX).

In April 2008, Marek Woźniak assumed the position of the Head of the Polish delegation to the European Committee of the Regions. He was also elected Vice-President and member of the Bureau of the European Committee of the Regions, and has been serving these functions until now.

From 2010 to 2020, he has been Vice-President of the European People’s Party (EPP) Group in the European Committee of the Regions and currently is a member of the Group’s Presidium.

In recognition of his public activity he has been awarded the following:

• "Commander's Cross of Polonia Restituta" by the President of the Republic of Poland,
• "Gold Cross of Merit" by the President of the Republic of Poland,
• "Ad Perpetuam Rei Memoriam" Medal by the Voivode of the Wielkopolska Region,
• "Grzegorz Palka Award" in the field of nationwide activity for regional, national and international achievements,
• "Rose of Franciszka Cegielska" awarded to the most distinguished persons in local government circles,
• Title of the "Most Admired Marshal of Voivodeship in 2009" by the Adam Smith Foundation,
• Honorary Badge of Merit for the Territorial Self-government by the Home Secretary,
• Honorary Badge of Merit "For Services to the City of Konin",
• Badge "For Services to the City of Kalisz",
• "Honorary Badge of Siberian Deportee".