Chet Culver became Iowa’s 40th Governor in January of 2007, where he immediately set out to build One Iowa, with One Unlimited Future.

As a former teacher, he utilized his experience in the classroom to strengthen Iowa’s education system by raising teacher pay to the national average, providing millions for school improvements, and making preschool available to thousands of children. He has improved the State's fiscal position by creating a record level of cash reserves and receiving the highest possible bond rating. And Governor Culver built upon Iowa's strengths in renewable energy by creating the Iowa Power Fund, which is turning the state into the renewable energy capitol of the nation.

In 2008, Governor Culver oversaw the rebuilding of Iowa after the state was hit by record tornadoes and historic floods, and in 2009 he created I-JOBS, an $830 million initiative to rebuild infrastructure, create jobs, and stimulate the economy.

And throughout his time in office, Governor Culver has worked with companies around the globe to bring new jobs to Iowa, creating greater opportunities for communities and building a brighter future for everyone.

Governor Culver began his career as an environmental and consumer advocate in the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. After receiving his Master of Arts in Teaching at Drake University in 1994, he taught government and history at Roosevelt High School and Hoover High School in Des Moines, where he also coached both football and basketball.

As a teacher and a coach, Governor Culver drew on his experiences playing sports in high school and playing football on scholarship at Virginia Tech.

In 1998, Governor Culver was elected as Iowa’s 29th Secretary of State, at the time the youngest Secretary of State in the nation, and was re-elected to the office in 2002. As Secretary of State, he created the Iowa Student Political Awareness Club (ISPAC), a nonpartisan statewide student organization dedicated to increasing civic and community participation among Iowa’s young people.

Governor Culver and his wife, Mari, have two young children, Clare Honour and John William. Prior to moving to Terrace Hill, the family resided in West Des Moines. Governor Culver is a member of the Covenant Presbyterian Church.

Governor Culver is the youngest of four children of former Iowa Senator John Culver and Ann Cooper Culver. Senator Culver served Iowa in the United States House of Representatives from 1965 to 1974 and in the United States Senate from 1974 to 1980.