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.
	Eiland
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 5 was adopted by the House on August
	5, 2013, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House