The Cultural Commission of the Canton of Thurgau elected the 57-year-old from Weinfeld as its new president at the end of 2012. Hans Jörg Höhener is Head of the Vocational Schools and Continuing Education Department at the Canton of Zurich's Department of Education and has been a member of the Cultural Commission of the Canton of Thurgau since 2009.

He has been involved in cultural education and cultural policy in the Canton of Thurgau for many years: among other things, he was President of the Weinfelden Regional Library, the Thurgau Art Society and Vice President of the Cultural Foundation of the Canton of Thurgau.

He is currently still a member of the advisory board of the Art Museum of the Canton of Thurgau and of the art museum's acquisitions committee. His personal cultural interests are broad, with a particular affinity for the fine arts, jazz and architecture.

Hans Jörg Höhener will take over the office of Chairman from Kurt Egger at the beginning of 2013. The latter already announced when he was appointed President in 2010 that he would only be available for two years; he is now passing on the chairmanship of the Cultural Commission following his election to the Grand Council.