Governor of Tomsk Oblast Victor Melkhiorovich Kress

Victor Kress was born in 1948 in the village of Vlasovo-Dvorino in Kostroma Oblast in a large German family. His parents brought up 5 other sons and a daughter. He grew up and received his secondary education in Yashkino village in Kemerovo Oblast. Victor was the eldest in his family. For 8-9 years he worked during his free time with his parents on a farm.

In 1971, he graduated from Novosibirsk Agriculture Institute. After his graduation, he began a job in Tomsk Oblast and became chief agronomist of Kornilovsky farm. In 1974, he was appointed director of Rodina farm.

In 1980-87 he chaired the regional agriculture enterprise Selkhozkhimiya

In 1987, Victor Kress took part in an alternative election of the first secretary of the Communist Party district committee and became the Head of Pervomaisky district of Tomsk Oblast. At the age of 41 Kress became the chairman of the regional Soviet of People's Deputies.

In 1991, he received his academic degree in economics. In the same year President Boris Yeltsin appointed him the Head of Tomsk Oblast. Since then he was re-elected as Governor in 1995, 1999 and 2003.

Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and deputies of the State Duma of Tomsk Oblast also showed their confidence in Victor Kress: on March 10, 2007 34 regional parliamentarians voted for Victor Kress suggested by Vladimir Putin for appointing as governor of Tomsk Oblast.

The Governor is married with two children and three grandchildren.