Building exceptional places for people to live and work has defined the career of Walter M. Embrey, Jr.
 
While a junior at The University of Texas at Austin, Walter began working for one of Austin’s largest homebuilders, gaining experience in homebuilding and land development. By his mid-20s, he was CEO and partner of an Austin-based multifamily company, leading development of more than 6,000 units across Texas.
 
In 1974, he returned to San Antonio and founded EMBREY. What began as a small partnership has grown into a nationally recognized, vertically integrated real estate investment company. In 2024, EMBREY marked its 50th anniversary, having developed 50,000+ apartment homes and earned a reputation for quality, design, and thoughtful community integration. Overall, Walter has developed 50 million+ square feet, including 6 million square feet of office, industrial, and retail space across 11 states and more than 30 cities.
 
Walter’s leadership is distinguished by his commitment to developing people and strengthening communities. His philanthropy helped launch the EMBREY Real Estate Finance and Development graduate program at UT San Antonio. He has served in leadership roles with UT Austin, the National Multifamily Housing Council, the Witte Museum, the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, was a founding member of RECSA, and currently chairs the Alamo Building Committee.
 
Walter was inducted into the San Antonio Business Hall of Fame in 2022 and received the San Antonio Business Journal’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025 and was a 2025 SAISD Inspire Awards Honoree. He remains most proud of his family’s accomplishments.