Augusta State University's Center for the Study of Georgia History presented its annual Distinguished Georgian Award during March to the Honorable D. Douglas Barnard, Jr., former U.S. Representative for the 10th District of Georgia. The presentation was made at a program and dinner in the Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre.

During his congressional career from 1977 to 1993, Mr. Barnard served as a member of the House Banking Committee and achieved national recognition for his work with the banking industry. In 1999 he was honored by the Financial Service Round Table with the Congressional Medal of Honor for Bank Modernization. Before his election to the House, Mr. Barnard represented the Tenth Congressional District on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Department of Transportation. He also served as executive secretary of the State of Georgia during the term of Governor Carl Sanders from 1963 to 1967.

Governor Sanders, the first recipient of the Center's Distinguished Georgian Award, participated in the ceremony, as did Mr. Russell Blanchard, Mr. David Bell, ASU President William A. Bloodworth, Jr., and Dr. Edward Cashin, director of the Center for the Study of Georgia History.

A Junior College of Augusta alumnus, Mr. Barnard previously was honored with Augusta State's 1965 Distinguished Alumnus Award, the Distinguished Service Award in 1972, and the President's Award in 1983.