Gaston Caperton is the 31st governor of West Virginia. Prior to running for the office of governor, Caperton worked for his father's insurance company, McDonough-Caperton-Shepherd and Goldsmith. He helped grow a family insurance business into a national insurance brokerage firm. In 1988, Caperton decided to quit the private sector and run for governor. It was the first time he had ever sought public office. In June 1991, he was elected chairman of the prestigious Southern Regional Education Board and chairman of the Southern Growth Policies Board. Caperton was the 1996 chair of the Democratic Governors' Association, serves on the National Governor's Association executive committee and is a member of the Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee on U.S. Trade. He is also chairman of the Appalachian Regional Commission and heads the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education's Distinguished Visitors Panel.