Interviewer: Zachary Smith

Project: University Of Houston

Since 1993, Marlon Mitchell has been with Houston Business Development Incorporated (formerly known as Houston Small Business Development Corporation,) a small business incubator that focuses on combating community deterioration, and he has personally witnessed the transformation of the OST/South Union neighborhood. As the CEO of HBDi, Mitchell is the most important figure in the reinvigoration of the Palm Center and helping suffering small businesses get the capital they need to grow. Mitchell speaks about the history of HBDi at the Palm Center, successes with local small businesses, his vision for the future of Palm Center, and the potential for more revitalizing change in Southeast Houston with the recent development of the Southeast METRORail line, the Houston Texans YMCA, and the new additions to the Park at Palm Center.