Bill Text: VA HR424 | 2023 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending James W. McGlothlin.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-02-24 - Bill text as passed House (HR424ER) [HR424 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2023-HR424-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, James W. McGlothlin, a highly admired business leader in Southwest Virginia and a patron of the arts who has supported the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts through his generous philanthropy, received the 2022 Business Person of the Year award from Virginia Business; and
WHEREAS, James "Jim" W. McGlothlin grew up in Buchanan County and excelled in math at the former Garden High School, where he was also a multisport athlete; and
WHEREAS, Jim McGlothlin continued his education at The College of William & Mary in Virginia and supported himself by working as a school bus driver and as a waiter at King's Arms Tavern; he was accepted into William & Mary Law School after switching his major to jurisprudence and achieving high marks during his senior year; and
WHEREAS, after graduation, Jim McGlothlin established the firm Street, Street & McGlothlin with two of his cousins, and practiced law in Grundy in the 1960s; and
WHEREAS, by happenstance, in 1970, Jim McGlothlin attended an auction for a coal mine at the local courthouse, and seeing the Buchanan County property's potential, placed the opening bid on what would ultimately become United Coal Company; and
WHEREAS, Jim McGlothlin took what he believed would be a six-month leave of absence from his law firm, but which turned out to be the beginning of a long and fulfilling second career; under his leadership, United Coal Company acquired dozens of smaller coal companies in the region, as well as several steel mills, and began buying, selling, and distributing mining equipment; and
WHEREAS, Jim McGlothlin helped United Coal Company expand beyond the Appalachian region, with oil wells in Texas, oil and gas holdings in Canada, and a gold mine in Tanzania, among several other ventures; and
WHEREAS, in 2009, Jim McGlothlin divested his coal mine holdings, but remained the chair and sole owner of The United Company, which diversified into hospitality, wealth management, real estate development, and coal, oil, and gas exploration services; and
WHEREAS, in an effort to enhance the economy and offset the loss of local jobs due to the decline in the coal industry, Jim McGlothlin advocated for the legalization of casino gaming, and in 2020, Bristol became one of five cities in the Commonwealth authorized to hold a referendum on the construction of casinos in their localities; and
WHEREAS, through The United Company, Jim McGlothlin is a major partner in the Commonwealth's first casino, Bristol Casino, soon to be the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol, which opened at a temporary location in July 2022 and has already hired about 600 people and welcomed more than 25,000 visitors from across the country; the resort casino is expected to employ between 1,200 and 1,500 staff members by its grand opening at its permanent space in the summer of 2024; and
WHEREAS, Jim McGlothlin and his wife, Fran, manage The United Company Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The United Company that supports the Bristol community through charitable outreach; the couple also has their own charitable foundation, The McGlothlin Foundation, that supports higher education, health care institutions, and the arts; and
WHEREAS, Jim and Fran McGlothlin have also taken a special interest in the Mountain Mission School, an institute in Grundy that houses and educates children in need; The United Company Foundation provides college scholarships for these students, and in 2018, Jim McGlothlin hosted a celebrity golf tournament that raised $56.6 million for the school; and
WHEREAS, shortly after they married in 1996, Jim and Fran McGlothlin developed a passion for art collecting, and subsequently donated to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts nearly 90 pieces of artwork worth more than $250 million, including works by John Singer Sargent, Childe Hassam, Andrew Wyeth, and Norman Rockwell; the couple also funded a $30 million expansion of the museum in 2010, donated an additional 73 pieces in 2015, and donated 15 pieces in 2022; and
WHEREAS, in January 2022, Jim McGlothlin stepped down as the chief executive officer of The United Company to spend more time with his beloved family; he continues to serve as chair to ensure that the company remains poised to meet the challenges of the future and maintain its legacy of contributions to the Bristol community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That James W. McGlothlin hereby be commended as the recipient of the Virginia Business 2022 Business Person of the Year award; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to James W. McGlothlin as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for his professional achievements and service to the Bristol community and the Commonwealth.
