The latest episode of Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast, titled "Judge Steve Snell | Williamson County's Explosive Growth," hosted by Bryan Eisenberg, brings listeners inside the office of one of the busiest county executives in Texas. Published September 15, 2026, the conversation with Williamson County Judge Steve Snell arrives as the county, home to roughly 760,000 residents today, prepares for a projected population of 1.6 million by 2055 and 3 million by the end of the century. Snell explains why the role of a county judge is more akin to that of a CEO and emergency manager than a traditional courtroom judge.
Drawing on 31 years in public education, including leadership roles in Hutto ISD and as superintendent of Liberty Hill ISD, Snell walks Eisenberg through the sprawling scope of the job. Topics covered include:
- Emergency response after Williamson County's historic July floods and lessons observed from Kerr County
- Oversight of roughly 30 to 35 departments, from fleet services and animal shelters to the juvenile justice center and Sheriff's Office
- Economic development wins tied to Dell, Samsung, Compal, Apple, Firefly, Kalahari, Nebraska Furniture Mart, and the incoming Scheels in Cedar Park
- Long-range transportation, water, and energy planning across cities including Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Liberty Hill, Florence, and Jarrell
Snell describes arriving to his interview with a three-ring binder tabbed with budget lines, policies, and responsibilities, a habit he credits to his educator background. On the growth challenge facing unincorporated neighborhoods and MUDs, he tells Eisenberg:
"When you build 1,000 homes next to an old two-lane road and all the construction trucks tear it up, we need to come and fix that for mobility and safety, or we need to expand it."
He also reflects on service, saying, "at the end of the day, it's not about me. It's about service and it's about Williamson County."
The episode digs into what Snell sees as the next wave of Williamson County industry. He points to the county's designation as a spaceport in partnership with the City of Cedar Park, its geographic position between Fort Hood and joint commands in downtown Austin, and Firefly Aerospace as the current anchor of a rapidly expanding space sector. Snell and Eisenberg also discuss trade education, workforce development, veteran employment as service members transition out of Fort Hood, and entrepreneurship classes in Liberty Hill high schools, where a chamber president now teaches students. Snell praises Round Rock ISD, Leander ISD, Cedar Park's Plug and Play, and partnerships with Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long on land acquisitions for future schools and parkland.
About Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast
Produced by Round Rock Studio and hosted by bestselling author and keynote speaker Bryan Eisenberg, Rock Solid spotlights the entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and civic leaders driving one of America's fastest-growing regions. Each episode explores the people and companies shaping Round Rock and Williamson County, Texas, through candid, community-focused conversations. The Steve Snell episode is available now wherever podcasts are heard.
