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Title:	Robert D. Ray papers, 1966-circa 2000.
Summary note:	This collection documents the activities of Robert D. Ray falling outside of his official duties as Governor of the State of Iowa. Approximately half of the material represents his involvement in Republican Party activities and events at both the state and national level (1966-2000). The other half of the papers is comprised of: records related to Ray's activities with Southeast Asian refugee settlement after his years as governor, including materials from his time as chair of the Indochinese Refugee Panel (1983-1988); records related to health advisory organizations that he chaired which included the National Institute of Health Care Policy, the National Leadership Commission on Health Care, the National Coalition on Health Care, and the Iowa Leadership Consortium on Health Care Reform (1985-1999); records of various organizations that Robert Ray played a key role in, including the Iowa Business Council (1986-1997), the Iowa Peace Institute (1986-1990s), the Iowa Sesquicentennial Commission (1993-1996), and the Iowa Sister-State Friendship Committee (1983-1988); a small set of materials from his service as U.S. representative to the United Nations, (1984-1985); speeches on a variety of topics, including health care (ca1983-1996); miscellaneous subject files (1908's and 1990's); appointment calendars (1984-1986, 1998); and a scrapbook of congratulatory letters presented to Robert D. Ray at the end of his last term in office. Some photographs--though not a substantial number--can be found in various files, and there are a few videocassettes that can be made available once reformatted. Official records from Robert D. Ray's five terms as governor (including additional documentation on refugee programs) are maintained in the holdings of the State Archives of Iowa (Record Group 43), State Historical Society of Iowa.
Source of Acquisition:	Donated by Robert D. Ray, 2012
Biographical/Historical note:	Robert D. Ray (b. 1928) was an Iowa Governor (1969-1983), insurance executive, and prominent figure in U.S. health care and refugee settlement advisory groups. He was born and raised in Des Moines and attended Drake University where he received his undergraduate degree in business in 1952 and his law degree in 1954. After law school he practiced in Des Moines with the firm Lawyer, Lawyer, Ray and Crouch. From 1963 to 1967 Ray chaired the Iowa Republican Party and gained the political backing to become candidate for Iowa Governor in the 1968 election. He won this race and four successive campaigns, governing Iowa until January 1983. In office Governor Ray gained a national profile as chairman of the National Governors Association and the Education Commission of the States, and president of the Council of State Governments. Legislation and advisory bodies established under the Ray administration supported economic development, government ethics, civil rights, energy conservation, litter reduction, science and technology, and protection of Native American human remains. In July 1975 when President Gerald Ford appealed to the states to assist with resettlement of Southeast Asian refugees in the United States, Governor Ray formed a task force to initiate a response and by October of that year brought the first group of displaced Tai Dam to Iowa. When the United Nations convened a special conference to address the intensifying refugee crisis in 1979, Ray attended as a member of the U.S. delegation. In that year the governor also announced the formation of the relief organization Iowa SHARES (Iowa Sends Help to Aid Refugees and End Starvation). Robert Ray's involvement in this cause continued after he left office and he was made chairman of the Indochinese Refugee Panel commissioned by Secretary of State George Schultz in 1985. Following his years as governor, Robert Ray was CEO and president of Life Investors, Inc. (AEGON, Transamerica) and Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Iowa (Wellmark). During that time, and continuing up through the 2000's, he played an active role in initiatives related to rural health and health care reform, chairing several national advisory organizations including the National Coalition on Health Care. He founded and was first president of the Iowa Sister-State Friendship Committee, and had a major role in establishing the Iowa Peace Institute (Grinnell College). Robert D. Ray has also served as a representative to the United Nations (1984-1985), interim mayor of Des Moines (1997), and interim president of Drake University (1998). He has received many recognitions for his civic and charitable work including the National Volunteer Award, the Iowa Award, and the Lifetime Humanitarian Award from the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Association.
Subject(s):	Iowa Sister States -- Records Iowa Business Council -- Records. Iowa Sesquicentennial Commission -- Records. Iowa Peace Institute -- Records. Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ) -- History -- 20th century. Republican Party (Iowa) -- History -- 20th century. International relations -- 20th century. Immigrants -- Iowa -- 20th century. Political refugees -- Iowa -- 20th century. Refugees -- Cambodia. Refugees -- Laos. Refugees -- Vietnam. Refugees -- Indochina. Health insurance -- United States. Health care reform -- United States. Rural health -- United States -- 20th century. Governors -- Iowa -- Papers. Iowa -- Economic conditions. Iowa -- Politics and government -- 20th century. Iowa -- Centennial celebrations, etc. Ray, Robert D., -- 1928-2018
Author:	Ray, Robert D., 1928-2018
Format:	26 linear feet (52 containers)
Permanent Record Link:
MARC Values:

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990079961190202771 2021-01-26 141209i19662000xx 000 0 eng d ‡a(IaU)007996119IOW01 ‡a(OCoLC)897819349 ‡aHDM‡cHDM‡edacs‡dOCLCO ‡aHDMF 1 ‡aRay, Robert D.,‡d1928-2018 10‡aRobert D. Ray papers,‡f1966-circa 2000. ‡a26‡flinear feet‡a(52‡fcontainers) ‡aA small number of audio-visual materials that exist in the collection are restricted pending reformatting. 8 ‡aThis collection documents the activities of Robert D. Ray falling outside of his official duties as Governor of the State of Iowa. Approximately half of the material represents his involvement in Republican Party activities and events at both the state and national level (1966-2000). The other half of the papers is comprised of: records related to Ray's activities with Southeast Asian refugee settlement after his years as governor, including materials from his time as chair of the Indochinese Refugee Panel (1983-1988); records related to health advisory organizations that he chaired which included the National Institute of Health Care Policy, the National Leadership Commission on Health Care, the National Coalition on Health Care, and the Iowa Leadership Consortium on Health Care Reform (1985-1999); records of various organizations that Robert Ray played a key role in, including the Iowa Business Council (1986-1997), the Iowa Peace Institute (1986-1990s), the Iowa Sesquicentennial Commission (1993-1996), and the Iowa Sister-State Friendship Committee (1983-1988); a small set of materials from his service as U.S. representative to the United Nations, (1984-1985); speeches on a variety of topics, including health care (ca1983-1996); miscellaneous subject files (1908's and 1990's); appointment calendars (1984-1986, 1998); and a scrapbook of congratulatory letters presented to Robert D. Ray at the end of his last term in office. Some photographs--though not a substantial number--can be found in various files, and there are a few videocassettes that can be made available once reformatted. Official records from Robert D. Ray's five terms as governor (including additional documentation on refugee programs) are maintained in the holdings of the State Archives of Iowa (Record Group 43), State Historical Society of Iowa. ‡aRobert D. Ray papers, 1966-circa 2000, Special Collections, State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines. ‡cDonated by Robert D. Ray,‡d2012 0 ‡nRobert D. Ray oral history transcript is located in Des Moines Oral History Project records, Special Collections, State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines. 0 ‡nGubernatorial records of Robert D. Ray are located in State Archives of Iowa, Record Group 43, State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines. 0 ‡nContainer of Robert D. Ray materials [R213] transferred from the State Historical Library vertical files is located in Special Collections, State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines. 0 0 0 0 ‡aRobert D. Ray (b. 1928) was an Iowa Governor (1969-1983), insurance executive, and prominent figure in U.S. health care and refugee settlement advisory groups. He was born and raised in Des Moines and attended Drake University where he received his undergraduate degree in business in 1952 and his law degree in 1954. After law school he practiced in Des Moines with the firm Lawyer, Lawyer, Ray and Crouch. From 1963 to 1967 Ray chaired the Iowa Republican Party and gained the political backing to become candidate for Iowa Governor in the 1968 election. He won this race and four successive campaigns, governing Iowa until January 1983. In office Governor Ray gained a national profile as chairman of the National Governors Association and the Education Commission of the States, and president of the Council of State Governments. 0 ‡aLegislation and advisory bodies established under the Ray administration supported economic development, government ethics, civil rights, energy conservation, litter reduction, science and technology, and protection of Native American human remains. In July 1975 when President Gerald Ford appealed to the states to assist with resettlement of Southeast Asian refugees in the United States, Governor Ray formed a task force to initiate a response and by October of that year brought the first group of displaced Tai Dam to Iowa. When the United Nations convened a special conference to address the intensifying refugee crisis in 1979, Ray attended as a member of the U.S. delegation. In that year the governor also announced the formation of the relief organization Iowa SHARES (Iowa Sends Help to Aid Refugees and End Starvation). 0 ‡aRobert Ray's involvement in this cause continued after he left office and he was made chairman of the Indochinese Refugee Panel commissioned by Secretary of State George Schultz in 1985. Following his years as governor, Robert Ray was CEO and president of Life Investors, Inc. (AEGON, Transamerica) and Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Iowa (Wellmark). During that time, and continuing up through the 2000's, he played an active role in initiatives related to rural health and health care reform, chairing several national advisory organizations including the National Coalition on Health Care. He founded and was first president of the Iowa Sister-State Friendship Committee, and had a major role in establishing the Iowa Peace Institute (Grinnell College). Robert D. Ray has also served as a representative to the United Nations (1984-1985), interim mayor of Des Moines (1997), and interim president of Drake University (1998). 0 ‡aHe has received many recognitions for his civic and charitable work including the National Volunteer Award, the Iowa Award, and the Lifetime Humanitarian Award from the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Association. 0 0 0 0 ‡aMaterials primarily in English. Some foreign language documents exist in Iowa Sister-States Friendship Committee files. 10‡aRay, Robert D.,‡d1928-2018 20‡aRepublican Party (Iowa)‡xHistory‡y20th century. 20‡aRepublican Party (U.S. : 1854- )‡xHistory‡y20th century. 20‡aIowa Peace Institute‡vRecords. 20‡aIowa Sesquicentennial Commission‡vRecords. 20‡aIowa Business Council‡vRecords. 20‡aIowa Sister States‡vRecords 0‡aGovernors‡zIowa‡vPapers. 0‡aRural health‡zUnited States‡y20th century. 0‡aHealth care reform‡zUnited States. 0‡aHealth insurance‡zUnited States. 0‡aRefugees‡zIndochina. 0‡aRefugees‡zVietnam. 0‡aRefugees‡zLaos. 0‡aRefugees‡zCambodia. 0‡aPolitical refugees‡zIowa‡y20th century. 0‡aImmigrants‡zIowa‡y20th century. 0‡aInternational relations‡y20th century. 0‡aIowa‡xCentennial celebrations, etc. 0‡aIowa‡xPolitics and government‡y20th century. 0‡aIowa‡xEconomic conditions. Des Moines Historical Library Manuscripts Locations: N4/1/3, N4/1/6-9, S32/3/7-9, S32/2/4-8 DM Des Moines Historical Library MANU Manuscripts Locations: N4/1/3, N4/1/6-9, S32/3/7-9, S32/2/4-8