When he became governor at age 36, Branstad was the youngest governor in Iowa's history and when he left office, he was Iowa's longest-serving governor. He served as chair of the National Governors Association during 1989–1990, and was chair of the Midwestern Governors Association. In 1997, he chaired the Education Commission of the States, the Republican Governors Association, and the Governors' Ethanol Coalition. Honor doctor of University of Northern Iowa.