Vladimir Gruzdev

## Early Years & Childhood Vladimir Sergeyevich Gruzdev was born on February 6, 1967, in Bolshevo, Moscow region. His father, Sergei Gruzdev, was a professional military officer, while his mother, Nelly Gruzdev, was a high school chemistry and biology teacher.## Family Vladimir Gruzdev is married to Olga Gruzdeva, and they have four children together: daughters Arina and Maria, and sons Grigory and Leonid.## Career Highlights - Graduated from the Military Red Banner Institute in 1991 as an interpreter-referent in Portuguese and English. - Served in the Foreign Intelligence Service from 1991 to 1993. - Graduated from the Faculty of Law of Moscow State University in 2000, majoring in Legal studies. - Elected to the Moscow City Duma in 2001. - Elected as a deputy of the State Duma of the IV convocation in December 2003. - Appointed as interim acting governor of the Tula region on July 29, 2011. - Elected unanimously as the chairman of the board of the Association of Lawyers of Russia on December 3, 2016.## Companies - Attracted investments and established the trading company "The Seventh Continent" in 1993. - Held executive positions at "The Seventh Continent" from 1994 to 2001. - Sold his stake in "The Seventh Continent" to partner Alexander Zanadvorov for about $1 billion in 2007.## Major Achievements - Participated in the expedition of the scientific vessel "Academician Fedorov" to the North Pole in the summer of 2007. - Dived to the North Pole on the Mir-1 bathyscaphe with Anatoly Sagalevich and Artur Chilingarov. - Installed the titanium flag of Russia and a capsule with a "message to future generations" at a depth of 4261 meters. - Elected Chairman of the Association of Young Entrepreneurs of Russia in 2007. - Transferred his entire salary to charity throughout 2013.## Awards & Achievements - Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" III degree (January 9, 2008) - Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" IV degree (February 2, 2013) - Order of Alexander Nevsky (January 30, 2017) - Medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", II Degree (March 21, 2007) - Medal "For Battle Merit" (1989) - Honorary title "Warrior-Internationalist" - Medal of Merit (FSSP) (October 22, 2013) - Commendations from the President and Government of the Russian Federation - Russian Federation Presidential Certificate of Honour (July 30, 2010) - Gratitude of the President of the Russian Federation (May 6, 2008) - Honorary Diploma of the Government of the Russian Federation (July 6, 2011) - Acknowledgment of the Government of the Russian Federation (July 22, 2009) - Acknowledgment of the Government of the Russian Federation (June 9, 2015) - Medal of P.A.

Stolypin, II degree (August 31, 2013) - Honorary Badge of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation "For Merits in the Development of Parliamentarism" (June 3, 2009) - Honorary Badge of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation "For Merits in the Development of Parliamentarism" (November 26, 2013) - Pennant of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation (June 30, 2015) - Gratitude of the President of the Russian Federation (May, 2019)## Personal Life & Legacy Vladimir Gruzdev is known for his philanthropic efforts, having donated money for the restoration of the Assumption Cathedral's bell tower in the Tula Kremlin and personally spending 250 million rubles annually on charity in the Tula region. He has also transferred his entire salary to various charitable causes, including a children's home and the Tula Kremlin fund.## Trivia - Vladimir Gruzdev is fluent in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. - He participated in the expedition to the North Pole and made the first dive to the bottom of the Arctic Ocean in world history. - He was elected as the main lawyer of the country by "URA.RU" media in an interview dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Russian Constitution. - Gruzdev is a co-author of several publications on factors affecting the quality of the Russian legal system.