Carlton Schwab

President/CEO
Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC)

Carlton Schwab has been President/CEO of the Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) since February 1, 1999. During that time, the 1,000-member TEDC has developed into a recognized leader in the professional development of its members and a powerful voice for economic development policy in the state of Texas.

In his role as President/CEO of the TEDC, Mr. Schwab has served on numerous boards and commissions. In 2012, he was named by Governor Perry to the Select Committee on Economic Development—a committee created by the 83rd Texas Legislature to review economic development policy for the state of Texas. In 2015 and 2016, he served as Chair of the Advisory Committee of the Texas Legislative Conference.

In 2017, Mr. Schwab was named an Honorary Life Member of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), and in November 2022 he received the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) Lifetime Achievement Award.

Prior to his tenure at TEDC, Mr. Schwab was Director of Development at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin from 1996 to 1999. From 1989 to 1996, he was a Director with Deloitte Consulting, where he specialized in corporate site location analysis and economic development strategic planning. He also served as Vice President of the Lubbock Board of City Development from 1986 to 1989.

Mr. Schwab raises registered Texas Longhorn cattle and is a Texas Certified Master Naturalist affiliated with the Balcones Canyonlands Chapter in Austin, Texas.

Emma Grace Thomas

2026 Texas Lyceum Fellow
Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University

Emma Grace Thomas is a recent graduate of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. She earned her Master of Public Service and Administration in May 2026 with concentrations in Nonprofit Management and Education Policy. She previously received her bachelor's degree in International Studies with a minor in Mandarin Chinese. Emma Grace serves as the 2026 Texas Lyceum Fellow for the Bush School of Government and Public Service and the Mosbacher Institute at Texas A&M University.