Sovmen, Khazret Medjidovich

President of the Republic of Adygeya.

Born May 1,1937, in the village of Afipsip, Krasnodar Region.

Graduated from Leningrad Mining Institute.

After serving in Black-Sea Fleet holding the Order of the Red Banner, worked in Magadan Region, Chukotka, and the arctic zone of Krasnoyarsk Region (island of Bolshevik). Mastered many professions: driver, driller, gold miner, and engineer.

At the age of 29, was elected the chairman of the gold-mining workers association Voskhod (Sunrise), later headed the USSR's largest gold-mining workers association Soyuz (Union). Since 1980, was the leader of the workers association Polyus (Pole). President of Gold-Mining Company Polyus ltd.

In 2000, Polyus ltd., under K.M. Sovmen's management, became the winner of the Best Russian Enterprise Contest and became one of the top three gold-mining companies of the world. The company's main asset is Olympic gold mine, where one of the world's best mining concentration industrial complex was created quickly, producing over 30 tons of gold in the last three years. Only Russian equipment and most modern environment-friendly technologies are used in this complex. Bacteria extract up to 95% of gold from hopeless rock in ten hours; under the natural conditions, two million years would be required for the process. The efficiency of this approach has been recognized in the Guinness Record Book.

K.M. Sovmen is a Doctor of Sciences, professor, author of major inventions in the gold-mining industry, knight of the orders For the Merits of the Motherland (orden "Za zaslugi pered Otechestvom") and Sign of Honor (orden "Znak Pochyota").

Engaged in charity since 1996.

On January 13, 2002, was elected President of Adygeya, collecting 69% of votes.