DES MOINES - Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate was recently appointed to The Council of State Governments' Executive Committee and International Committee. The CSG International Committee tracks and interprets international trends of importance to state governments.

"It is an honor for me to serve on these important committees for the Council of State Governments," Secretary Pate said. "I look forward to working with officials and legislators from other states to share and develop best practices and bring ideas back to Iowa. This is all about public service, which I have been dedicated to for many years."

Pate is a 2015 graduate of the CSG Henry Toll Fellowship, an annual leadership development program designed to stimulate personal assessment and growth.

"CSG continues to benefit from the engagement of Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and his commitment to advancing the role of the states on the international stage," said John Mountjoy, CSG director of policy and research. "As the only national organization uniting the three branches of state government, CSG is uniquely positioned to make the case for state-based international trade and to grow foreign direct investment in our small businesses and industries."

In addition, Mountjoy said Pate is committed to advancing the efforts of the CSG Overseas Voting Initiative, which was designed to improve the return rate of overseas absentee ballots from service members and U.S. citizens living abroad.

The International Committee is led by Nevada State Sen. Moises Denis, co-chair; Alaska State Sen. Gary Stevens, co-chair; and Manny Mencia, senior vice president of International Trade and Development for Enterprise Florida, the committee vice chair.

The CSG Midwestern Legislative Conference Annual Meeting will take place in Iowa on July 9-12 at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown.

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