Courtesy of Georgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives on March 14 unveiled a portrait of the late House Speaker David Ralston, a UNG alumnus, honoring his life of service to the state. Pictured, from left, are University System of Georgia Chancellor and former Gov. Sonny Perdue, former Gov. Nathan Deal, House Speaker Jon Burns, Ralston's widow Sheree, Gov. Brian Kemp, and first lady Marty Kemp.

The Georgia House of Representatives on March 14 unveiled a portrait of the late House Speaker David Ralston, a University of North Georgia (UNG) alumnus, honoring his life of service to the state. 

Commissioned by the UNG Foundation in July, the portrait will be placed just outside the House chamber. Ralston's widow, Sheree, and his children were on hand for the special occasion.  

"Thank you to this body for having our family here today with you. Thank you to Gov. Perdue, Gov. Deal and Gov. Kemp for your kind words. I have quite a few people from House District 7 here. Thank you for being here. David Ralston loved you, and he worked hard for you. Thank you to the artist," Sheree Ralston said. "But most of all, thank you to the University of North Georgia, who stays faithful to David Ralston. And he was faithful to you." 

The portrait of Ralston will be displayed across from an existing portrait of former House Speaker Tom Murphy. Murphy, also a UNG alumnus, and Ralston were the two longest-serving speakers in the history of the Georgia House. Murphy served in the role for 30 years and Ralston for 13 years.  

Ralston was instrumental in securing funding for the original Blue Ridge Campus location that opened in 2015, the current stand-alone campus and the expansion opening later this year. 

"We will always be grateful to Speaker Ralston for the impact he made on both UNG and the state of Georgia," UNG President Michael Shannon said. "Thanks to his leadership, generations of leaders will change the trajectory of their family's lives at UNG's Blue Ridge Campus." 

University System of Georgia Chancellor and former Gov. Sonny Perdue, former Gov. Nathan Deal and Gov. Brian Kemp attended the event and spoke about Ralston's impact.  

"Speaker Ralston was an accomplished statesman, and a proud Georgian whose memory lives on under the Gold Dome," Kemp said. "This portrait will serve as a lasting reminder of both what he accomplished during his years of public service and our shared memories with him. Marty, the girls and I are grateful for his dedication to our state." 

Travis Massey of Gainesville, Georgia, was the artist for the portrait.  

Ralston was the 73rd speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives. He died in November 2022 following an extended illness. At the time of his passing, Ralston was the longest currently-serving state house speaker in the country. He represented Georgia's 7th House district, which includes Fannin and Gilmer counties and a portion of Dawson County. 

"David Ralston was a kid from a small town in north Georgia who became one of Georgia’s most distinguished public servants, someone who could bring people together no matter their differences and find a civil and respectful way to the best solution for Georgia," Perdue said. "I first experienced this when we served together in the state Senate, and it was a privilege to watch my friend continue to build bridges as he became the longest-serving current state House speaker in the United States. It is only fitting his portrait hangs here, in the people’s capitol, to remind us of all we should aspire to in service to this state and its great citizens." 

UNG's Blue Ridge Campus has grown from 20 students when it opened in 2015 to 230 for the 2023-24 academic year. The additional facility opening this fall will provide specialized spaces for the College of Education to allow it to offer a blended cohort of students who will complete their degrees in Blue Ridge. It will also enable the College of Health Sciences & Professions to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program to existing students in the area who may have started through the Technical College System of Georgia or other programs. 

Included in the design is a multipurpose event room to accommodate up to 300 guests. It will host programs for Professional and Continuing Education and the Institute for Healthy Aging, as well as community meetings, student activities and conferences. 

"Speaker David Ralston left a legacy for our communities and the state of Georgia. The University of North Georgia's Blue Ridge Campus is part of that legacy," Sandy Ott, executive director of the Blue Ridge Campus, said. "He valued and knew the impact of education and wanted everyone to have access and opportunity to a brighter future."