Mito then turned the ceremony over to Dr. Brian Matayoshi, Executive Director of GreenReef. He introduced Ann Hayden, Project Director, and thanked all the artists, businesses, and attendees for their support. He explained the next step was applying for additional grants. He explained that GreenReef can be used as a reliable source of information, and facilitator for communication with government, community and contributors. He explained that many objectives can be achieved through cooperation and education involving other agencies such as Belize Audubon and Hol Chan Marine Reserve. They are requesting community involvement to aid them in their plans.

A ribbon cutting ceremony was performed by Area Representative, Hon. Patty Arceo who expressed her pride in Mito and his initiative. She recognized his efforts in pursuing his dreams to the point of reality and pledged government allegiance and support to the project.

Upon his return to San Pedro, Mito joined the family business (SunBreeze Hotel) working as Food and Beverage Manager and assisted in the marketing of the business. In 1984, Mito married Catherine Hunter Paz and eventually had two sons, Alejandro (now 13) and Guillermo (now 2).

Mito was anxious to apply the knowledge and skills he had acquired in school, and his first opportunity to do so was with the Center of Environmental Studies. There he made assessments of North Ambergris Caye, identifying and recommending critical habitats at Bacalar Chico, and additional assessments were made for a marine reserve at the Port of Honduras. After acquiring a two year contract with Coastal Zone Management as a reserve manager at Middle Caye in Glover' Reef, Mito implemented a management plan to establish grouper research. This project was significant to Mito because he had the opportunity to build one of the first environmentally friendly reserves with solar panels, a wind generator, composite toilet, etc. As Mito put it, "It was one of my finest projects."

At the completion of that project, Mito returned to San Pedro where he noticed the abundance of visitors and the stress this was causing the marine ecosystem; he recognized a need for a conservation organization. In 1996, after careful planning and research, Green Reef was founded. Mito and his team formed the Reef Festival, as well as other public awareness events to promote this new non-profit organization. Soon after, Green Reef received a grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which allowed Mito to develop an Environmental Education Programme to educate the community and increase awareness. Green Reef targeted all schools, providing them with literature, slide presentations, videos, and trips to the reef. Moreover, with the help of Amigos del Mar, Green Reef was able to install reef mooring bouys along the reef for boats to anchor to, eliminating damage to the reef.

Mito was also rewarded with a Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) grant to develop a management plan for Los Salones and Little Guana Caye Bird Sanctuaries, located on the leeward side of Ambergris Caye. This plan will include ways of managing visitation, with the eventual installation of walkways around the cayes and observation towers; all to minimize disturbance to the birds. Currently, Mito is lobbying with the Government of Belize for the expansion of the Bird Sanctuaries to include adjacent islands, such as Cayo Pajaro, Cayo Rosario, and the the wetlands on the mainland of Ambergris Caye.

Green Reef aspires to become the leading marine organization of Belize. With the recent opening of its headquarters on Pescador Drive, Green Reef will be much more accessible to the community. The headquarters will house two offices for staff, a marine museum with educational displays, and the island' first environmental gift shop which will help pay operational costs. Mito Paz, Director and President of Green Reef is closely assisted by Ann Hayden, Project Director; Dr. Brian Matayoshi, Associate Professor of Physiology at St. Mathews University, and Mr. Paul du Quesnay from Dangriga.