The Governor of Iowa’s “sister state” in Stavropol, Russia, arrived in Des Moines last night for a five-day visit. Governor Alexander Chernogorov is accompanied by a delegation of his government’s leaders, according to Tom Rial of the Sister States program. They’re coming to renew the sister state relationship.It’s Chernogorov’s second visit to Iowa. Rial says the Russian Governor will visit several Iowa companies, including Garst Seed in Slater, the energy plant in Ames, Mercy Medical Center/Northern Iowa in Mason City and the waste water treatment plant in Osage.Governor Vilsack, several of Iowa’s departmental leaders and a number of key legislators will meet this morning with Governor Chernogorov and his staff. Rial says the mission is not only to cement new commercial ties between Iowa companies and those in Stavropol, a region in southern Russia. He says they’ll also work on art, medical and other exchanges.A reception for the Russians in Des Moines tonight is open to the public at the Marriott Hotel. They return on Friday. Iowa and Stavropol began their sister state relations in 1988 and have exchanged many teachers, students, sports teams, business leaders, government officials, health care professionals and artists.
