While leading family business interests in cotton and sugar, he supported urban renewal and anti-poverty efforts in Galveston, Texas.
[1] During his career, Kempner held leadership positions in the cotton industry at the national, state, and regional levels.
Through these roles, Kempner advocated in Washington D.C. for efforts to free cotton distribution from above-market non-recourse government loans.
Kempner also chaired the Galveston County Cultural Arts Council, and he volunteered with Rosenberg Library and the local chapters of Boy Scouts of America and the United Way.
[1] During this period, Kempner rose in rank from lieutenant to commander, and the Navy awarded him the Legion of Merit.
[10] In 1982, the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston established the H. L. Kemper Award in honor of Kempner's support for the hospital.
The Kempner Award honors outstanding contributions to support the recruitment and retention of medical students from minority racial/ethnic backgrounds.