Born February 4, 1964 in Alexeyevka workers town in the Saratov Region's Khvalynsk District.
Education:
1986: Earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the Saratov Agriculture Mechanisation Institute named after Kalinin.
1995: Earned law degree from the Presidential Civil Service Academy, is a Professor and a Doctor of Law.
1996: Defended his doctoral thesis on the subject: "A Russian Constituent Entity: Problems of Power, Law-making and Administration" at the Interior Ministry's St Petersburg Institute.
Experience:
Worked as assistant, senior lecturer and assistant professor. Headed the department of state development and administration at the Civil Service Academy in the Volga area.
Elected deputy of the Saratov City and Region Soviets (Councils) of People's Deputies.
1991: Elected deputy and deputy speaker of the Saratov Region's Duma.
1992: Appointed property manager and deputy head of the Saratov municipal administration.
1996: Served as deputy governor and first deputy prime minister of the Saratov Region's government.
December 1999: Elected deputy of the Federal Assembly's Third State Duma.
September 2001: Elected head of the Fatherland - All Russia parliamentary party in the State Duma.
December 2003: Elected deputy of the Fourth State Duma at the 156th single-constituency district in Balakovo, the Saratov Region.
January 2003: Elected Deputy Speaker of the Federal Assembly's Third State Duma and first deputy head of the United Russia parliamentary party.
April 2005: Elected Secretary of the Presidium of the General Council of the United Russia National Political Party and chairman of the supervisory council of the Saratov-based Chernyshevsky State University.
October 21, 2010: Appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Chief of Staff of the
Government's Executive Office by presidential decree.
Awards and Recognitions:
State awards include Order of Friendship, Order of Honour and Order for Services to the Fatherland, Fourth Class.
Personal:
Married, with one daughter, Svetlana.