A man who has served his community in numerous ways over the decades, including 28 years as Wood County District Attorney, Mark Taylor received a regional award Thursday evening from the East Texas Council of Governments.

Taylor, of Winnsboro, was selected to receive the Regional Committee Service Award. Taylor has served on ETCOG’s Criminal Justice Advisory Committee since the 1980s. The presentation was during the ETCOG’s 94th Semi-Annual Board of Directors Meeting at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler.

“Due to his many years of service on the CJAC (Criminal Justice Advisory Committee), and to his community, our department recommended him to receive this award,” Stephanie Heffner of ETCOG said. “Additionally, even though Mr. Taylor retired from Wood County in 2007 he still serves on the CJAC today.”

Taylor served as the criminal district attorney in Wood County from 1979 to 2007. He assisted in bringing the Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center to Wood County and also served as the president of the Texas District & County Attorneys Association, as well as many other significant criminal justice organizations.

Taylor earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas Technological University and his doctor of jurisprudence in law from Southern Methodist University. Among the awards he has previously received were the State Bar of Texas, Criminal Justice Section, Prosecutor of the Year in 2006 and the ETCOG Regional Statesmanship Award in 2007.