Judge Emmett went on to found The Emmett Company, a multi-faceted international consulting and marketing firm serving the transportation industry. His previous experience also includes acting as president and chief operating officer of the National Industrial Transportation League. With a wide breadth of experience in transportation and logistics policy, Judge Emmett has been asked to speak at transportation conferences and meetings across the United States and in 15 countries. He was named one of the Top 20 Logistics Professionals by the Logistics Forum in 2003, and the Transportation Clubs International gave him its “Transportation Person of the Year” award in 2005.

As county judge, Judge Emmett also is director of Harris County’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, a role that took on special significance when Hurricane Ike struck the Gulf Coast in September 2008. Judge Emmett was widely praised locally and nationally for his calm leadership during and after Ike’s devastating landfall.

Judge Emmett has won numerous awards during his tenure as chief executive of the nation’s third-largest county, including most recently: the 2009 Distinguished Public Service Award from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas; the 2008 Presidential “Call to Service Award” from President George W. Bush; the 2008 Distinguished Leader Award from Leadership Houston; the 2008 Weather Hero from the John C. Freeman Weather Museum and the 2007 Greater Houston-Galveston Anchor Award for Excellence in Transportation.

Judge Emmett also serves on numerous boards and committees, including acting as chairman of the Harris County Juvenile Board and the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative Executive Steering Committee. He also is a board member of: the Joint City-County Commission on Children; the Tejano Center for Community Concerns; the Houston-Galveston Area Council; the Houston-Galveston Area Council Transportation Policy Council; and the American Society of Transportation and Logistics

Judge Emmett attended Bellaire High School. He 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 been married for 35 years and have four children and seven grandchildren.