Jim Justice

Jim Justice
Governor of West Virginia
Elect
Taking office
January 16, 2017
Succeeding Earl Ray Tomblin
Personal details
Born James Conley Justice, Jr.
(1951-04-27) April 27, 1951
Raleigh County, West Virginia,
U.S.
Political party Republican (Before 2014)
Democratic (2014–present)
Spouse(s) Cathy
Children 2
Alma mater University of Tennessee,
Knoxville
Marshall University (BA, MBA)

James Conley "Jim" Justice, Jr. (born April 27, 1951) is an American coal and agriculture businessman and politician from West Virginia. Owner of over 50 companies, including The Greenbrier, a luxury resort, Justice is the only billionaire from the state of West Virginia. A Democrat, Justice ran for Governor of West Virginia in the 2016 general election as the Democratic nominee. He won the general election and is the Governor-elect of West Virginia.

Life and career

James Conley Justice II was born in Charleston, the son of James Conley Justice and Edna Ruth (née Perry) Justice. Justice grew up in Raleigh County, West Virginia. He enrolled at the University of Tennessee on an athletic scholarship for golf, but transferred to Marshall University. At Marshall, he was a two-year captain on the Thundering Herd golf team.[1] He earned his bachelor's degree and Master in Business Administration from Marshall.[2]

After college, Justice went into the family agriculture business.[2] Justice founded Bluestone Farms in 1977, which now operates 50,000 acres (20,000 ha) of farmland, and is the leading producer of grain on the East Coast of the United States. During that time, he also developed Stoney Brook Plantation, a 15,000-acre hunting and fishing preserve in Monroe County. Justice is a seven time national corn growing champion.[3]

After the death of his father in 1993, Justice became the president of Bluestone Industries and Bluestone Coal Corporation. Justice inherited Bluestone Coal Corp. from his father in 1993, and sold some of his coal business to Mechel in 2009, which he bought back in 2015.[4] Since buying back the mine from Mechel, Justice re-opened several of the coal mines and put over 200 coal miners back to work. [5]

Justice serves as the owner or chief executive officer of over 50 companies, including The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, which he bought for $20.5 million in 2009, saving it from bankruptcy.[4]

Since taking over The Greenbrier Justice has doubled the number of jobs at the resort. When first took control he immediately brought back all 650 laid-off employees. He added vacation and health benefits to their contracts, and offered a 10 percent raise if the hotel regained its fifth star.[6]

Jim Justice made several high-profile additions to The Greenbrier. He convinced the PGA Tour to hold an event at The Greenbrier, and the New Orleans Saints to hold training camp to there. He also added a casino. [7][6]

Justice is in the process of building a new mountain top golf course with golf legends Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Lee Trevino. Arnold Palmer was also involved but died on September 25, 2016, aged 87.[8]

Forbes estimates Justice's net worth at $1.6 billion, making him the richest man in West Virginia.[9]

As of 2014, he owned 70 active mines in 5 states. His charitable activities have included $25 million for the James C. Justice National Scout Camp at The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve, $5 million for Marshall University, and $10 million to the Cleveland Clinic.[10]

Justice gives away more than $1 million in gifts annually through the Dream Tree for Kids so that deserving children will have gifts to open on Christmas.[11]

Personal life

Justice lives in Lewisburg, West Virginia. He met his wife, Cathy (née Comer) in high school. They have two children, Jay and Jill.[2]. He is 6'7[12]

Justice served as president of the Beckley Little League and has coached basketball at every level. Justice, who has lived in Lewisburg since 2001, has been the girls basketball coach at Greenbrier East High School since 2003. In 2011, he also became the head coach for the boys basketball teams. He is the only coach at the AAA level in the state who does both girls and boys basketball. Since 1992 he has been President of Beckley Little League. His participation has helped the program expand to over 1,000 kids playing on 80 teams. He has coached basketball teams of all ages for the past 30 years amassing a coaching record of 761 wins – 156 losses. He is currently the head girls’ basketball coach at Greenbrier East High School in Lewisburg, West Virginia. He has been director of the Mountain State Coal Classic since 1995. The basketball classic has enjoyed tremendous success awarding hundreds of thousands in scholarships and direct support to participating schools. In discussing the coaching position, Justice said, “There are three things I know that I can do, and that’s shoot a shotgun, make a deal and coach basketball. I’m excited about it.”

Justice is a lifelong fan of the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL), and spent $30 million to develop a training facility for the team to use in 2014 at The Greenbrier resort, citing the $10.5 million generated in local revenue for Richmond, Virginia, when the NFL's Washington Redskins held their training camp there in 2013.[4][9] He hosts the Greenbrier Classic, a PGA Tour event, at The Greenbrier annually.[4]

Political career

In 2015, Justice declared his candidacy for Governor of West Virginia in the 2016 election as a member of the Democratic Party.[4] He had been a registered member of the Republican Party until changing his registration in February 2015.[13] This is his first time running for political office.[14] In May 2016, Justice won the Democratic nomination for Governor and ran against Republican nominee Bill Cole in the general election.[15] On November 8, Justice won the election.[16]

Justice was endorsed by the United Mine Workers.[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Houvouras, Jack (Winter 2010). "HQ&A with Jim Justice". Huntington Quarterly. Huntington, WV: HQ Publishing. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Tucker, Neely (March 6, 2011). "W.Va. billionaire Jim Justice's mission to restore the Greenbrier resort". Washington Post. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Justice stresses big ideas over specifics in campaign". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Eyre, Eric (May 11, 2015). "Greenbrier owner Jim Justice enters governor's race". The Charleston Gazette. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Justice to put 200 miners back to work". Times West Virginian. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Tucker, Neely (February 9, 2011). "W.Va. billionaire Jim Justice's mission to restore the Greenbrier resort". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Greenbrier resort has a star-spangled casino opening". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Justice lures golf legends to build mountaintop course near Greenbrier". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  9. 1 2 Corbett, Jim (July 24, 2014). "Billionaire Jim Justice gives Saints lavish training camp". USA TODAY. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  10. ↑ Berkes, Howard; Boiko-Weyrauch, Anna; Benincasa, Robert (November 15, 2014). "Billionaire Spent Millions In Charity, But Avoided Mine Fines". NPR. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Dream Tree for Kids distributes $1 million worth of gifts". Beckley Register-Herald. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  12. ↑ http://www.successfulmeetings.com/Strategy/Meeting-Strategies/James-C--Justice-II,-West-Virginia-s-Gentle-Giant/
  13. ↑ Maher, Kris (May 12, 2015). "Jim Justice, West Virginia Billionaire, Launches Campaign for Governor". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  14. ↑ Jenkins, Jeff. "WV MetroNews – Jim Justice enters politics, announces 2016 run for governor". Wvmetronews.com. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  15. ↑ Raby, John (May 10, 2015). "Jim Justice wins Democratic nomination for West Virginia gov". The Herald-Dispatch. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Jim Justice wins WV gubernatorial race". Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  17. ↑ "UMWA endorses Jim Justice for governor". WV MetroNews. Retrieved January 12, 2016.

External links

Party political offices
Preceded by
Earl Ray Tomblin		 Democratic nominee for Governor of West Virginia
2016 		Most recent
Political offices
Preceded by
Earl Ray Tomblin		 Governor of West Virginia
Elect
Taking office 2017 		Incumbent
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