Michael Chertoff Fast Facts

Personal: Birth date: November 28, 1953

Birth place: Elizabeth, New Jersey

Birth name: Michael Chertoff

Father: Gershon Chertoff, rabbi

Mother: Livia Chertoff

Marriage: Meryl (Justin) Chertoff (1988-present)

Children: Philip; Emily

Education: Harvard University, BA, 1975; Harvard University, JD, 1978

Religion: Jewish

Other Facts: Helped write the Patriot Act after September 11th terrorist attacks.

Played a key role in the government investigations of WorldCom, Enron and the accounting firm, Arthur Andersen.

Prosecuted the former boss of the Genovese crime family, Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno, and the founder of Crazy Eddie electronics, Eddie Antar, and Jersey City Mayor Gerald McCann.

Timeline: 1978-1979 - Law clerk to Judge Murray Gurfein, US Court of Appeals Second Circuit, New York.

1979-1980 - Serves as law clerk to Justice William Brennan, US Supreme Court.

1980-1983 - Associate at Latham & Watkins in Washington, DC.

1983-1987 - Assistant US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

1987 - Recipient of the John Marshall award from the US Department of Justice.

1987-1990 - Is first Assistant US Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

1990-1994 - US Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

1994-1996 - Special Counsel for Senate Whitewater Committee.

2001-2003 - Assistant US Attorney General, the criminal division.

2003-2005 - Judge for the US Court of Appeals, 3rd circuit.

January 11, 2005 - Is nominated as Secretary of Homeland Security.

February 15, 2005-January 21, 2009 - Serves as the second Secretary of Homeland Security.

March 26, 2009-present - Senior counsel at the DC law firm Covington & Burling LLP.

2009-present - Chairman and Co-founder of the Chertoff Group, a global security advisory firm.

May 1, 2012 - Takes office as Chairman of the Board Directors of BAE Systems, Inc.