Tommy Irvin

Tommy Irvin is the longest-serving Commissioner of Agriculture in the United States and the longest-serving statewide official in Georgia. [http://agr.georgia.gov/00/article/0,2086,38902732_39653527_40685010,00.html Official biography] ] He has served as Georgia’s Commissioner of Agriculture since 1969 and was elected to his 10th four-year term in November 2006.

A Hall County, Georgia native, Irvin was elected to his first public office as a member of the Habersham County Board of Education in 1956. He later served as school board chairman and president of the Georgia School Boards Association.

A Democrat, Irvin was elected to four terms in the Georgia General Assembly as a Representative from Habersham County, where he served on the House Agriculture, Education, and Appropriations Committees and chaired the House Industrial Relations Committee and the Governor's Conference on Education. He was the Governor’s Floor Leader and later served as Executive Secretary to the Governor.

In 1998, a portion of Georgia Highway 365 was named Tommy Irvin Parkway in his honor. [ [http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/1997_98/leg/fulltext/sr639.htm Georgia law creating the Tommy Irvin Parkway] ]

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