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To honor and celebrate Cameron Mitchell on his 20th Anniversary of elevating the dining experience.
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WHEREAS, Cameron Mitchell's journey in the restaurant business started as a dishwasher in a local Columbus steakhouse and now over the course of three decades has grown into a multi-million dollar enterprise; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell graduated from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, CIA and started his career in Columbus where he would later go on to gather the essential ingredients for his own restaurant; and
WHEREAS, through hard work and perseverance, Mr. Mitchell started Cameron's restaurant, an intimate contemporary American bistro in northwest Columbus in 1993; operating 14 months without a pay check; and
WHEREAS, through the development of new concepts and the expansion of several of his most popular concepts, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants has grown to become a 33-unit, $120 million dollar, multi-concept operation with locations in nine states; and
WHEREAS, Cameron Mitchell Restaurants remains independent and privately held, with 19 units and eight different concepts, as well as a separate and highly successful catering company, Cameron Mitchell Premier Events; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell continues to manage the growth and development of his sister company, The Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern, with 14 locations in three states; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell continues to possess an entrepreneurs energy, vision, and passion, and has committed himself to developing new restaurant concepts; expanding into metropolitan markets such as Washington D.C., New York City, Boston, Chicago and others across the country; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell's keen understanding of the restaurant industry have earned him countless awards and acknowledgements- most notably, he has been honored as Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young, as a Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration and as one of 5 Golden Chain winners by Nation's Restaurant News; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell also received the prestigious Silver Plate award from the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association and was honored with the Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers 2007 Commitment to People Award; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell fosters an associate centered philosophy as the foundation of the company which has led to a turnover rate that is much lower than the industry standard; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Mitchell's commitment is not limited to his profession, but also extends to his role as a community service advocate: he serves as the Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees for CIA, and is also actively involved with mentoring current and prospective students; he has also established a $500,000 scholarship fund, becoming the schools largest alumni donor; and
WHEREAS, Among his service to numerous local boards and committees in Columbus, Ohio, where he lives with his family, is his exceptional dedication to the Nationwide Children's Hospital Foundation; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this Council does hereby recognize and celebrate Cameron Mitchell for 20 years of fine dining and delivering genuine hospitality to the residents of the City of Columbus.