Governor heads to Europe on trade mission

Governor Tom Vilsack leaves Sunday for a trade mission to Europe. Economic Development officials from Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Des Moines will go along, and Vilsack says it’ll give the group a chance to sell Iowa as a business location. Michael Blouin ,the director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development, says the focus is on Germany. He says they’ll focus on business that are interested in life sciences, information solutions and advance manufacturing.Blouin says more than 100 German companies will participate in the seminar.Vilsack returns Thursday. Blouin and others on the trade trip will stay a few more days.