Ward Emling was born in New Orleans and raised in Jackson, Mississippi.  He was educated in the Jackson Public Schools and earned a Bachelor's degree in English from Millsaps College in 1976, then studied two years at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England.  As an actor, he appeared in HUCKLEBERRY FINN, THE PREMONITION, and in the TV miniseries BEULAH LAND before becoming Film Office director (for the first time) in 1980.

During his first tenure THE BEAST WITHIN, DON'T LOOK BACK, THIS IS ELVIS, BLACK BAYOU, RASCALS AND ROBBERS, MISTRESS OF PARADISE, and THE MISSISSIPPI    were filmed in the state.  When CBS renewed the series THE MISSISSIPPI, Ward left the film commission and became the series' location manager.  After moving to Los Angeles in 1984, he served as location manager for D.A.R.Y.L., AS SUMMERS DIE, IN A SHALLOW GRAVE, BONANZA: THE NEXT GENERATION, VIETNAM WAR STORY, K-9, PROBLEM CHILD, and A PROMISE TO KEEP.  He also continued to act, appearing in THE MISSISSIPPI, MATT HOUSTON, ST. ELSEWHERE, KNOT'S LANDING, OUR HOUSE, PROBLEM CHILD, MATLOCK, and several national and regional commercials.

Since returning to the Mississippi Film Office in 1990, Ward has guided the in-state productions of THE GUN IN BETTY LOU'S HANDBAG, THE ADVENTURES OF HUCK FINN, SISTER ISLAND, A TIME TO KILL, THE CHAMBER, GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI, MY DOG SKIP, COOKIE'S FORTUNE, RED DIRT, THE RISING PLACE, O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?, JOHN JOHN IN THE SKY, THE PONDER HEART, BIG BAD LOVE, WALK THE LINE, and BALLAST, in addition to several short films, documentaries, and commercials.

Ward is the Treasurer of the Board of Directors and is a past President of the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI), the 300+ member organization of film commissions from around the world.