Page 328 - BWA FEB 2013

328 | Business World Magazine | February 2013
these beautiful buildings and are hopeful of
successful futures for their businesses.
WEATHERING THE STORM
Such futures seemed almost thwarted by a
recent storm, Hurricane Ike, which in 2008
directly struck Galveston and earned dis-
tinction as the third costliest hurricane to
ever make landfall in the United States. The
damage to infrastructure and personal lives
was ultimately countered by another whirl-
wind of resolve, once again, from the Mitch-
ell family. Ross says that at that time of loss,
many looked to the Mitchells, and when the
family rolled-up their sleeves and went to
work rebuilding and repairing, the rest fol-
lowed suit. The extent of strategic planning
involved in those renovations resulted once
again in significant investments from the
Mitchells, but have set the framework for
infrastructure improvements which, in the
case of another weather event, now allow for
a shortened recovery time. At 93 years old,
George Mitchell is, as Ross describes, “a re-
The Hotel Galvez now offers two outdoor venues for events. The Oleander Garden and the new Centennial Green.