|
|
 Back to Archives     |
8.11.06 Irving, August 11, 2006 — The North Texas Commission (NTC) presented its Eighth Annual Transportation Excellence Award in Mobility (TEAM) to Charles Emery, Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) board chairman, and to the DCTA organization for significant contributions in the improvement of mobility in North Texas. The awards were presented at the Ninth Annual Texas Transportation Summit during the luncheon on August 11 at The Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport hotel. The luncheon featured U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) as the keynote speaker and H. Dan Farell, with TXU and vice chairman of the North Texas Commission, as the TEAM award presenter. The North Texas Commission honored Charles Emery as the individual TEAM winner for his outstanding transportation advocacy. Emery provided vision and leadership to create the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA). He also provided the extraordinary effort and time in presiding at hundreds of public hearings and walking the halls of the state capitol, testifying before legislative committees, and talking with legislators to educate and answer questions concerning DCTA. Since 2002, Emery has held the position of board chairman of the DCTA. “Charles has been a tireless supporter and practitioner of regional cooperation, faithfully participating in meetings of the Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition, Regional Transportation Council and Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition,” according to Vic Suhm, NTC senior consultant. Charles Emery is a sixth generation Denton County resident. He is the owner of FCE Enterprises, Inc. and focuses on consulting and venture capital activities. Emery conducted his undergraduate studies at Texas A&M and the University of Texas at Arlington, receiving a BBA in Accounting in 1963 with a minor in Math and Finance. He continued his graduate education at Southern Methodist University, where he earned his master’s degree in Finance and Accounting. His career includes 18 years with the URS Company, a professional services firm, holding the positions of vice president and Chief Operating Officer (COO) and national marketing director. He later served as executive vice president and COO for Vista Properties, Inc., and Centex Development Company, directing the planning, development and sales of more than 20,000 acres of land in ten states and thirty-one cities including office and industrial parks and master-planned residential communities. Emery is a licensed CPA in Texas, vice chairman of the Denton County Economic Development Commission, and serves on the boards of the Denton County Housing Finance Corporation, Lewisville Economic Development Foundation, and the Lewisville Industrial Development Corporation. Emery has been involved in numerous civic activities, serving on the Lewisville City Council, Planning and Zoning Commission and Transportation Board. He served as the chairman of Christian Community Action and the Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce, being named the chamber's "Man of the Year" in 1995. Charles is married to Elaine and has four children. The North Texas Commission honored the Denton County Transportation Authority as the organization TEAM winner for its commitment to meeting the mobility needs of one of Texas’ fastest growing counties. The Denton County Transportation Authority focuses on promoting economic growth, reducing traffic congestion, enhancing quality of life and improving air quality. According to NTC President and CEO Dan S. Petty, “North Texas is fortunate to be the home of such a fine organization like DCTA whose dedication to provide transportation solutions and enhance mobility with limited funding resources is unequaled.” The DCTA is charged with providing critical public transportation services that link one of the region’s fastest growing counties with the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. The initial capital project of the DCTA is a regional rail line that will connect Denton, Highland Village, and Lewisville with the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Northwest Corridor passenger rail service in the City of Carrollton. This rail service will provide commuters in Denton County an additional mobility option for travel in areas throughout Dallas and Collin County being served by DART light rail. It will also provide major mobility access for workers and students from those areas into the three DCTA cities in the service delivery area. In 1999, the NTC Board of Directors established the TEAM award to recognize significant contributions to improving mobility and transportation in North Texas. This award is given to both an individual and an organization that have contributed to the ongoing success of meeting Texas transportation challenges. NTC chose the Texas Transportation Summit as the venue to present the award because it is the one time during the year when transportation officials come together to address the latest trends, challenges and issues facing the Lone Star State. Last year, the North Texas Commission presented the TEAM awards to Steve McCullough, city manager of Irving, and to the City of Irving for their efforts to enhance transportation through sponsorship of the Summit. Established in 1971, the North Texas Commission is a regional non-profit consortium of businesses, cities, counties, chambers of commerce, economic development entities and higher education institutions in the North Texas Region. The Commission is the one and only public-private regional organization committed to enhancing the overall economic vitality and quality of life of North Texas. NTC improves the economy, infrastructure and lifestyle of North Texas by leading and directing regionally cooperative initiatives to accomplish objectives in four primary areas: transportation, aviation, environment and long-range strategies. |
 |