DES MOINES, Iowa —

For decades, Terry Branstad helped shape Iowa from inside the Statehouse. On Thursday, he returned to the building he spent much of his life in as the guest of honor.

Branstad, a former Iowa governor and U.S. ambassador to China, received the Iowa Award, the state’s highest civilian honor. It is the first time the award has been presented in nearly a decade.

Chairs stretched wall to wall beneath the rotunda as lawmakers, former staffers, friends, and leaders from both political parties gathered to honor him.

"Looking back after all these years, I'm proud that we accomplished so much," Branstad said. "I'm really proud of the fact that we were able to find workable solutions that Iowans always appreciated."

The Iowa Award recognizes extraordinary service to the state

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