Terry E. Branstad

Former Iowa Governor Terry E. Branstad has a long history of public service and an unwavering commitment to education.

During his tenure as the state's longest-serving governor, one of Governor Branstad's top priorities was to prepare Iowa's schools and classrooms for the 21st century. Reflecting his belief that a highly educated workforce is one of the keys to success in the future, he paved the way for the first statewide fiber-optics communications network in the nation, which brought distance learning to both urban and rural schools in Iowa.

On a national level, Governor Branstad served as chairman of the Education Commission of the United States from 1997-1998. More recently, President George W. Bush appointed him to chair the President's Commission for Excellence in Special Education - charged with developing a plan to improve the educational performance of students with disabilities. After completing his work with the commission last year, Governor Branstad was asked to serve as a member of the National Advisory Council for Positive Action for Teen Health, or PATH - encouraging action toward detecting adolescent mental illness and teen suicide.

Now in his new role as President of Des Moines University, Governor Terry Branstad continues to build upon his legacy of commitment to education, while advocating the need for improved health care for all Iowans.

In addition, Governor Branstad serves on the following boards: Iowa Health System, Featherlite, Liberty Bank, Living History Farms, Advanced Analytical Technologies, Inc., and is a public member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Governor Branstad and his wife, Chris are officially now residents of Boone County. They purchased a log home in the rural area of Boone, near Ledges State Park. He commutes to work in Des Moines daily.