Tuesday, March 1, 2016 11:15 am – 1:00 pm HESS Club Register Now>

ABOUT EDWARD M. EMMETT
HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE

Edward M. Emmett became Harris County Judge on March 6, 2007. 

A member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1979 to 1987, Judge Emmett 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, Judge Emmett served on the commission for three years.

Prior to becoming county judge, he received international recognition for his work in transportation and logistics policy.
Among his many other activities, Judge Emmett is director of Harris County’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, chairman of the HGAC Transportation Policy Council and chairman of the Harris County Juvenile Board.

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 39 years and have four children and 11 grandchildren.

Tuesday, Februrary 2, 2016 11:15 am – 1:00 pm HESS Club Register Now>

Reid Ryan enters his fourth season with the Astros after being named the club’s President of Business Operations on May 17, 2013. Reid, 44, is one of the youngest team presidents in the game and brings enthusiasm and energy to the organization, while also providing a wealth of experience working in professional baseball.

From day one, Reid has emphasized the importance of the fan experience and has made it a personal mission to openly engage with the Astros fan base. At nearly every home game, Reid can be found in the stands, speaking with Astros fans on a personal level. Within a few weeks of starting his new position and making his rounds through the ballpark, Reid used that fan feedback to make some changes. He followed up on a specific request to have the ballpark opened earlier in order to give fans access to Astros batting practice, which is now stadium policy. Whether he’s in the ballpark on game days or on the Community Leaders ball fields participating in youth baseball and softball clinics with local at-risk children and teens, Reid takes pride in being an active member of the Houston community.

Before joining the Astros, Reid was the founder and CEO of both the Corpus Christi Hooks and the Round Rock Express minor league franchises, both of which are perennially lauded as two of the top franchises in minor league attendance, stadium satisfaction and franchise value. Shortly after coming on board in Houston, Reid continued to affect positive change by bringing the Corpus Christi Hooks into the fold as an owned and operated affiliate of the Houston Astros. The Round Rock Express remains the Triple A affiliate of the Texas Rangers.

Reid’s history with Texas baseball goes back decades. During the 1980s, Reid was a bat boy for the Astros while his father and Hall of Famer Nolan was an All-Star pitcher in the Astrodome. He later pitched at the University of Texas and TCU, playing a part in two Southwest Conference Titles (Texas ’91, TCU ’94). Reid went on to pitch in the minor leagues for two seasons (1994-95) in the Rangers system after being selected in the 17th round of the June 1994 Draft.

A long-time respected member of minor league baseball’s leadership group, Reid has maintained his ownership interests in the Pacific Coast League’s Round Rock Express. He currently serves as the Texas League (Corpus Christi Hooks) Board of Trustees representative and is the Finance Chairman for minor league baseball. Recently, Reid has become active with the Major League Baseball Game Presentation, Marketing and Youth Programs Committee.

Reid is involved in several other business ventures including R Bank, a Texas-based community bank chartered in Round Rock, Texas, for which he serves as a founding board member and organizer. Reid is an active member in the Houston chapter of Young Presidents Organization, a board member for Spring Spirit Baseball and recently served as Honorary Chair for the Covenant House executive sleep out. Ryan is also a member of Second Baptist Church Houston. His passions include spending time watching his kids play youth sports and spending time at the Ryan family ranch. He and his wife Nicole are the proud parents of one son, Jackson (16), and two daughters, Victoria (14) and Ella (11). The Ryan family lives in Houston.