Emmett is a lifelong Augusta County resident where he lives with his wife and raised their five now-adult children. He received a B.S. in management and economics and an MBA at James Madison University. He is a former National Guard commander and also served as a captain in the U.S. Army. He was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1983 and then the Virginia Senate in 1996 where he served until 2024. During his Senate tenure, he served on the Senate Finance Committee, the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources committee where he championed many investments in land conservation and water quality. Notably, he helped establish Virginia’s Land Preservation Tax Credit program that has led to the permanent protection of over one million acres of land in Virginia.

Now retired from public service, Emmett continues his work in commercial real estate and volunteers for several local organizations in addition to the Alliance, including as president of the American Frontier Culture Foundation.