The Daily News: Moody Gardens president Riley dies
November 18, 2009 – 4:07 pmThe Galveston County Daily News reports:
Mike Riley, Moody Gardens’ president known for his work ethic and good-natured disposition, died Sunday.
The cause was an apparent heart attack, friends said.
Bates, Cooper and Sloan Funeral Home in Mount Pleasant will host visitation from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday. Funeral services are set for 10 a.m. Saturday at Nevills Chapel in Mount Pleasant. Plans for a Galveston memorial will be announced soon.
Riley had captained Moody Gardens through Hurricane Ike in 2008, when emergency power was lost and staff brought in oxygen tanks and refrigerated trailers to sustain cold-water animals. His most recent projects included working with the team designing new innovations at the Rainforest Pyramid, and helping develop a new 302-room hotel convention center in Lubbock.
“When you put Mike in charge of something, it was accomplished in a first-class manner,” said Irwin M. “Buddy” Herz Jr., who worked with Riley on the Moody Gardens golf course and other projects. His friendship with Riley dated back more than 20 years, during the time Riley helped establish a national reputation for Moody Gardens attractions and convention center.
“I was impressed by his gentleness and his ability to work with anyone and everyone,” Herz added. “He truly was the epitome of a gentle man.”
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