Edward J. Tarver is a partner with Enoch Tarver, P.C. where he represents individuals and, business and governmental entities.   Previously, he was nominated by President Barack Obama to be the 48^th United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, on September 17, 2009.  Following unanimous consent of the United States Senate, Mr. Tarver was formally appointed by President Obama and sworn in as the United States Attorney on November 12, 2009.  Mr. Tarver was the first African-American United States Attorney in the 226 year history of the Southern District of Georgia.

Mr. Tarver received a B.A. in Political Science from Augusta College (presently Augusta University) in 1981. After obtaining his B.A., he entered the United States Army and served for seven years as a Field Artillery Officer attaining the rank of Captain. Mr. Tarver then attended the University of Georgia School of Law, where he earned his J.D. degree in 1991. Following graduation he served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Dudley H. Bowen, Jr., former Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Georgia.  Mr. Tarver practiced law in Augusta from 1992 until receiving his presidential appointment in 2009.

In 2005, Mr. Tarver was elected to the Georgia General Assembly representing State Senate District 22.  As a Georgia State Senator, he held the position of Secretary of the Banking and Financial Institutions Committee and served on the Appropriations, Economic Development, Government Oversight, Military Affairs and Special Judiciary Committees.  Mr. Tarver also served on the Criminal Justice, Judicial and Public Safety Subcommittees to Appropriations, and on the Joint Economic Development Subcommittee of Regulatory Reform. He was reelected in 2006 and again in 2008.

Mr. Tarver has been, and continues to be, a committed member, supporter and contributor to the NAACP. In 2008 he received the Branch President’s Award in recognition of his selfless support of the Augusta Branch of the NAACP.  Additionally, in 2008 the Augusta Branch of the NAACP honored Mr. Tarver by presenting him with the Drum Major for Justice Award in appreciation for his dedicated support of the NAACP’s mission.

Mr. Tarver also served on the Court Advisory Committee for the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Georgia. He is an active member of the State Bar of Georgia as well as the Augusta and Savannah Bar Associations.

In the past, Mr. Tarver has served as Chairman of the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, President and Chairman of the Board of Trustee of the Leadership Georgia Foundation, Chairman of the Leadership Augusta Board, President of the Academy of Richmond County Boosters Club, Chairman of the St. Johns’ Towers Advisory Board, President of the Augusta Technical College Board of Directors, President of the East Georgia Easter Seals Society, and as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Episcopal Day School in Augusta. He was the chairman of the Coastal Georgia Combined Federal Campaign in 2012 and remains an active member of the Local Federal Coordinating Committee. Mr. Tarver is member of the Exchange Club of Augusta.

Mr. Tarver currently serves on the Board of Directors of the First Community Corporation and the First Community Bank.  Previously, Mr. Tarver served as a Director on the Boards of Pro Assurance (formerly Georgia Lawyers Insurance Company), Southeastern Natural Sciences Academy, Trinity Hospital of Augusta (Advisory) and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.  He is the recipient of the 1995 Alvin W. Vogtle Volunteer of the Year Award, the 1996 Fran Upton Volunteer Award (Easter Seals) and the 2002 Leadership Augusta Community Service Award.  He is also an active member of the Psi Omega Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and the Alpha Mu Boulé of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, where he serves as chairman of the Isiah and Justine Washington Scholarship Foundation.  Mr. Tarver earned the 100 Black Men of Augusta 2007 Outstanding Community Service Award, and was honored by Augusta State University as the recipient of the 2007 Golden Key Award.  He was named the 2008 Citizen of the Year by the National Association of University Women (Augusta Chapter), and was a recipient of the 2011 Distinguished Alumnus Award from Augusta State University.

Mr. Tarver is married to Carol and they have four children.