Bob Buford is serving as a contributing writer to the American City Business Journals.

Twice per month, Bob’s writing is featured in 46 Business Journals across the U.S. This week’s article features current Halftime Institute CEO and new author, Dean Niewolny. Dean’s debut book, Trade Up releases on July 18.

For a complete list of all Bob Buford’s articles in the American City Business Journals, CLICK HERE. 

How Businesses Helped in the Wake of Harvey

Oct 4, 2017, 3:20am EST

When Hurricane Harvey landed on Texas shores, it started an awful week and turned out to be the most destructive natural disaster in U.S. history.

It was slow-moving, leaving devastation everywhere in its path. Whole neighborhoods were washed away, and lives were changed forever.

In the worst of it, people started doing almost supernatural things, risking their lives for others, raising money and doing whatever they could to help those who could not help themselves. In the midst of a horrible moment, something beautiful happened. People began doing selfless acts of kindness and bravery.

The “Cajun Navy” showed up with airboats, a can-do spirit and a helping hand. Everybody who owned a watercraft of any kind put it in the troubled waters and started looking for people in need. It was a Texas Dunkirk, and long after the waters have receded, it will be remembered for so much more than a natural disaster. It will be a reminder that we are all wired to help each other, to put others first.

Businesses give goods, services and money

Throngs of businesspeople stepped into the gap and began to offer much-needed goods, services and money. Just think about that. It was pure devastation there. Many of the businesses were flooded out and others were working hard to keep from being swamped. In the middle of all of that, they did an amazing thing: They gave.

One of those givers was a company called Gallery Furniture, a longstanding and iconic institution owned by Jim McIngvale, who is better known by everyone in Houston as “Mattress Mack.” Mack and his wife came to Houston many years ago from Dallas with nothing but the shirts on their backs and launched Gallery Furniture in a group of very humble model homes along I-45.

The business has grown exponentially from those humble beginnings and now has sales far exceeding $100 million, operating from a much-improved, beautiful facility that stands in the same spot as those early model homes…READ MORE