THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS – Today the world lost an extraordinary man. George P. Mitchell, 94, (May 21, 1919 – July 26, 2013) was a man of many talents including a successful American businessman, real estate developer, and philanthropist from Texas.

Mitchell accomplished many great things in his life. Just a few of the most known are founding Mitchell Energy & Development Corp., pioneering horizontal drilling, founding and developing The Woodlands, TX, philanthropy, and is credited with pioneering the economic extraction of shale gas .

Mitchell was born to Greek immigrant parents in the port city of Galveston, Texas in 1919. He went on to earn a degree from Texas A&M Universitygraduating first in his petroleum engineering class. In the 1950’s he started an independent oil and gas company called Mitchell Energy & Development Corp. that pioneered new technology in the 1980’s – 1990’s for horizontal drilling of natural gas. This technique, combined with hydraulic fracturing of rock (known as fracking) makes it possible to economically extract natural gas from shale rock formations. Extracting natural gas from shale rock (Fracking) is now rapidly spreading to countries outside of the United States. Mitchell Energy& Development Corp. was later acquired by Devon Energy.

In 1974 George P. Mitchell established The Woodlands, TXwhich was an unincorporated yet governmentally structured township in Montgomery and Harris counties, TX.

The master plan for this community called for preserving trees, protecting the environment, minimizing flooding, and creating a pleasant urban living environment. As of 2013 the population is recorded at 105,283. The original plans had called for a population of 130,000 when fully developed, but the population may well exceed these original plans with the fast growth of this community in the last 5-10 years. With all its nature and beauty it’s an ideal place to live for many families, and has become a desired place of operations for businesses.

Although very successful in his life and business, George P. Mitchell had another great quality. He was a philanthropist. Philanthropy means “love of humanity” or “goodwill” in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, and enhancing humanity. Mitchell signed The Giving Pledge and according to The National Academies of Science, “In the 1970s Mitchell helped sponsor the work of Dennis Meadows, whose Club of Rome study, “The Limits of Growth” was a global wake-up call on the pressing need for sustainable energy technologies and food sources worldwide.” Along with these great achievements Mitchell’s total contributions to universities and research organizations has reached $159 million. A few notable donations include:

• $20 million to create the George and Cynthia Mitchell Endowment for Sustainability Science at the National Academy of Sciences committed to advancing science and technology in support of sustainable development

• $25 million to the Endowment for Regional Sustainability Science to support HARC’s work in sustainability science.

• Mitchell donated part of his wealth to the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, which supports programs for the efficient and wise use of Earth’s resources.

• $35 million to the Texas A&M University Physics department helping relocate to two new buildings in late 2009, add The George P. and Cynthia W. Mitchell Fundamental Physics and Astronomy Building and the George P. Mitchell Physics Building in 2012, and he committed an additional $20 million to the Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy.

In 2004 Mitchell was placed among the 500 richest people worldwide by Forbes magazine estimating his net worth at $1.6 billion, and as of current 2013 had a net worth of approximately $2 billion.

It was very saddening to hear the news of George P. Mitchell’s passing, but it is very clear that Mitchell lived a life of purpose and that he has left a legacy that will last very far into the future, and will be remembered for generations to come.

Works Cited

“George P. Mitchell” Wikipedia.org. A Wikimedia Project
26 July 2013. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_P._Mitchell