Born April 8, 1950, in the village of Krasnaya Yaruga, the Belgorod Region.
Education
1976: Graduated from the Timiryazev Moscow Agricultural Academy with a degree in agronomy.
DSc in Economics.
Work experience
Worked as main agronomist at a collective farm. In the late 1980s was appointed deputy chairman of the regional executive committee, later worked as deputy head of the main directorate of crop growing at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
1993: appointed head of regional administration
1995, 1999, 2003, 2007: elected head of regional administration of the Belgorod Region, later – governor of the Belgorod Region.
Awards and recognitions
State awards include Order of Honour, Order of the Badge of Honour, Order of Service to the Fatherland, 3rd and 4th class, Ukraine's Order of Service, 3rd class, Ushinsky Medal as well as awards of the Russian Orthodox Church.