 Edward M. Emmett was unanimously appointed County Judge by Harris County Commissioners Court on March 6, 2007, upon the resignation of former Judge Robert Eckels. A member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1979 to 1987, Emmett served East Harris County, from Kingwood to Baytown. He was chairman of the Committee on Energy, a member of the Transportation Committee, and represented the state on numerous national committees relating to energy and transportation policy.
In 1989, President George H. W. Bush nominated Emmett as a Commissioner at the Interstate Commerce Commission. After being confirmed unanimously by the United States Senate, he served on the commission for three years.
As county judge, Emmett serves on numerous boards and commissions:
• Harris County Juvenile Board, chairman
• Texas Excellence In Transportation For The 21st Century coalition, vice chair
• Texas High Speed Rail Transportation Corporation, vice chairman
• County Executives of America, board member
• Texas Environmental Research Consortium, board member
• Houston-Galveston Area Council, board member
• Transportation Policy Council, board member
• Harris County Joint City/Council Commission on Children, member
Judge Emmett also serves on the Advisory Board of the U. S. Merchant Marine Academy, the Board of Advisors to the Academy’s Global Maritime and Transportation School, and the University of Houston College of Technology Board of Advisors.
Prior to being appointed county judge, Emmett founded The Emmett Company, a multi-faceted international consulting and marketing firm specializing in policies, products and services related to the transportation industry. His previous private sector experience includes service as president and chief operating officer of the National Industrial Transportation League, where he led successful efforts to deregulate trucking and ocean shipping.
Judge Emmett has spoken at transportation conferences and meetings across the United States and in more than 15 countries. He was named one of the Top 20 Logistics Professionals by the Logistics Forum in 2003, and the Transportation Clubs International presented him its “Transportation Person of the Year” award in 2005.
Born August 14, 1949, in Overton, Texas, Emmett moved to Houston in 1966 and graduated from Bellaire High School. He then graduated from Rice University in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and from the University of Texas at Austin in 1974 with a Master of Public Affairs degree.
Judge Emmett and his wife, Gwen, have four children and two grandchildren and live in Houston. |
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