Self-effacing and soft-spoken, Hadley, a 57-year-old lawyer, has been a loyal deputy to Rice and a special assistant to the president for the past four years.

Announcing his appointment to head the National Security Council, responsible for coordinating US foreign policy, Bush praised Hadley's years of government service.

"Steve served presidents Nixon, Ford and Bush before me, and he has done a superb job as Dr. Rice's deputy during these past four years," the president said.

"Steve is a man of wisdom and good judgment. He has earned my trust. And I look forward to his continued vital service on my national security team," Bush said.

Born February 13, 1947 in the midwestern state of Ohio, Hadley received a bachelor's degree from Cornell University and a law degree from Yale Law School, Bush's alma mater.

Hadley worked as an analyst for the comptroller of the defense department from 1972 to 1974, when Richard Nixon was in office, and as a member of the National Security Council staff under President Gerald Ford from 1974 to 1977.

From 1986 to 1987, Hadley served as counsel to the special review board established by President Ronald Reagan to look into US arms sales to Iran.

Under Bush's father, former president George Bush, Hadley served as the assistant secretary of defense for international security policy from 1989 to 1993 and was deeply involved in arms control issues, notably the START talks, and US policy toward NATO and Western Europe.

Along with close friend Rice, who was nominated Tuesday to become secretary of state, replacing Colin Powell, Hadley tutored Bush in foreign policy issues during the 2000 presidential campaign.