83S30021 BPG-D
By: Eiland H.R. No. 5
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost an admired philanthropist
and energy industry giant with the passing of George Phydias
Mitchell of Galveston on July 26, 2013, at the age of 94; and
WHEREAS, The son of Greek immigrants, Mr. Mitchell was born
in Galveston in 1919; he worked his way through Texas A&M
University, selling candy and stationery and running a tailoring
and laundry business; after graduating first in his class with a
degree in petroleum engineering and geology, he served his country
in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II, attaining the
rank of captain; and
WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan joined a newly formed wildcatting
company in 1949 as a consulting geologist and engineer; he became a
partner in the firm and was then named president in 1959; under his
skillful leadership as chair and chief executive officer, Mitchell
Energy & Development Corporation evolved into one of the nation's
largest independent oil and gas producers; the company was listed
on the New York Stock Exchange before its merger in 2002 with Devon
Energy Corporation; and
WHEREAS, Recognized as the father of hydraulic fracturing,
Mr. Mitchell pioneered drilling and completion technologies that
transformed the energy industry; for nearly two decades, he
overcame setbacks and ignored naysayers while perfecting methods of
extracting natural gas from the Barnett Shale formation in
commercial quantities; his foresight and dogged determination
engendered an industry revolution that has vastly increased global
supply and enhanced the energy security of North America; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell also enjoyed tremendous success as a
real estate developer of rare ambition and imagination; in 1974, he
established The Woodlands, a 28,000-acre master-planned community
designed to preserve East Texas forest and other natural resources
while integrating mixed-income residential development with an
employment center; the city today is home to about 100,000 people
and a number of corporations, and it is recognized for the beauty of
its protected green space, which represents a quarter of its total
area; and
WHEREAS, The devoted father of 10, Mr. Mitchell joined with
his wife, Cynthia Woods Mitchell, to help make the world a better
place for future generations; in 1978, the couple created the
Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation to support innovative,
sustainable solutions for human and environmental problems; since
its inception, the foundation has distributed or pledged more than
$400 million to a variety of worthy causes, including the promotion
of sustainability science and clean energy, Cook's Branch
Conservancy, and the Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and
Astronomy at Texas A&M; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell became the most generous benefactor in
the history of his alma mater, with donations that included the land
for the university's campus in Galveston; in addition, he spent
tens of millions rebuilding his hometown, funding the restoration
of the historic Strand District and resurrecting a long-dormant
Mardi Gras tradition that now brings 500,000 visitors to the city
annually; and
WHEREAS, In his later years, Mr. Mitchell focused
increasingly on charitable endeavors; he made the Giving Pledge, a
commitment promoted by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates,
making public the intent he and his late wife had formed to donate
the majority of their wealth to philanthropic initiatives;
moreover, he advocated powerfully for tighter regulation of and
safer practices in the conduct of hydraulic fracturing; and
WHEREAS, George Mitchell left an indelible imprint on the
nation as a true visionary of the energy industry, and through his
exceptional dedication to environmental protection, social equity,
and economic prosperity, he made important contributions that will
long continue to resonate in the Lone Star State and beyond; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the
remarkable life of George P. Mitchell and extend sincere
condolences to his loved ones; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of George
Phydias Mitchell.