Terry E. Branstad was elected governor of Iowa in 1983 and served 4 terms. He was previously a Lieutenant Governor and served three-terms with the Iowa House of Representatives.
Under Branstad, Iowa became the first state to link every school district by a fiberoptic network.
In 1997, Branstad was the chairman of the Education Commission of the States, Republican Governors Association, and the Governors' Ethanol Coalition. He served as Chair of the National Governors' Association during 1989-90.
Branstad served in the U.S. Army from 1969-71 and received the Army Commendation Medal.