The West Houston Association’s Star of Excellence Award recognizes individuals who have made substantial contributions to the Greater West Houston area. As industry leaders, we promote quality development, sustainable infrastructure, long-term planning and sound public policy. Our Star of Excellence recipients are not members of the West Houston Association, but their work complements our own to achieve a shared vision. We honor them as shining examples of the leadership and determination that is required for everyone to find great experiences and opportunities in Greater West Houston.
2024 – Ed Emmett
2023 – Byron Hebert
2022 – Jim Murphy
2021 – Russ Poppe
2020 – Steve Radack
2024 – Ed Emmett
The 2024 Star of Excellence was awarded to Ed Emmett for his deep understanding of the critical need for robust and effective flood control and transportation systems. Through close collaboration with regional partners, Ed has tackled these pressing challenges with a forward-thinking approach that has significantly enhanced both resilience and mobility in the Greater West Houston region. His strategic initiatives have established a strong foundation for future growth, benefiting not only Harris County but also serving as a model for neighboring regions striving to improve their infrastructure and response to natural disasters. Ed’s visionary leadership illustrates the effect of proactive planning in creating safer, more sustainable communities.
2023 – Byron Hebert
The 2023 Star of Excellence was awarded to Byron Hebert for his work encouraging investment and development in the City of Katy. Byron understood that population growth was going to change the City of Katy and knew that it was quickly going to outgrow being a small town. He understood the importance of working with land developers and that well-managed, high-quality development would be beneficial to the city. A belief that over the past decade would prove instrumental in paving the way for Katy’s emergence as a thriving urban hub, with continued growth slated both for the city and the surrounding area. The City of Katy has reaped the rewards of his forward thinking and Byron has become a resource to other cities in the region as they navigate how to flourish as they are growing.
2022 – Jim Murphy
The 2022 Star of Excellence was awarded to Jim Murphy for his professional and legislative work in the development, prosperity, and preservation of the West Houston region. In fact, it is difficult to find an organization in West Houston that has not benefited from his work. A native Houstonian and previous Projects Director (1983 – 1986) at WHA, Jim has been key in the prosperity and growth of West Houston. He was the driving force behind the Westchase District, which has been instrumental to the success of West Houston and has attracted more than $2 billion in new investment to the area. He served as trustee of Houston Community College from 1997 – 2006, as a board member of the Houston West Chamber of Commerce and the West Houston Medical Center, and was a founder of the Alief Education Foundation. Then in 2007, he was elected to serve House District 133 with his tenure spanning seven sessions and an impressive 13 committees and subcommittees. He has been the standard bearer for policy regarding special districts, economic development, and property tax reform. Most recently, he championed House Bill 1410, an initiative that was born out of discussion amongst WHA members, and allows additional greenspace and recreational facilities in West Houston.
2021 – Russ Poppe
The 2021 Star of Excellence was awarded to Russ Poppe for his work with the Harris County Flood Control District. Russ spent nearly 15 years working with Harris County Flood Control District. Under his direction, the district carried out its mission to devise countywide flood damage reduction plans, implement those plans, and maintain the infrastructure. The District has jurisdiction over the primary stormwater facilities in the county, which consist of about 1,500 channels, totaling 2,500 miles in length, as well as more than 60 regional stormwater detention basins and a 2.5-square-mile wetlands mitigation bank. In his role, he managed more than $2.4 billion in district assets and successfully led a $2.5 billion bond program approved by more than 85% of county voters.
2020 – Steve Radack
The 2020 Star of Excellence was awarded to Steve Radack for three decades of service to continuously improve the quality of life for people across West Houston in Harris County Precinct 3 and beyond. Radack was a strong supporter of infrastructure. He was instrumental in expanding mobility across the greater West Houston region including Westpark and the Grand Parkway. Over the years he expanded nine parks into 63, established four new community centers, was the first Harris County Commissioner to establish senior education centers, and opened dog parks. He did this with fiscal conservatism in mind and he embraced public-private partnerships whenever possible to stretch taxpayer dollars
The West Houston Association’s Star of Excellence nomination process is overseen by the Membership Committee.