Big Man, Big Heart, Big Business
Alumnus Jim Justice, the bold baron who bought The Greenbrier,
is known as much for his generosity as his business savvy.
Marshall Magazine, Autumn 2010
When Jim Justice arrived at Marshall University in the fall of 1970 he was, quite literally, a big man on campus. Standing 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighing 195 pounds, he looked more like a basketball player than a new member of the Thundering Herd golf team. The Beckley native had just transferred from the University of Tennessee not because he wanted to be closer to home or play golf at Marshall. No, what brought Justice to Huntington was a girl.
“My wife Cathy is the reason I ended up at Marshall,” Justice explains. “We started dating the summer after my first year at Tennessee. She was at Marshall, and I started thinking, ‘Maybe I’ll transfer. This will be neat.’ I guess you could say that we fell in love at Marshall.”
Justice, now 59, first came to fame in May 2009 when he bought The Greenbrier resort out of bankruptcy for $20.1 million. The savvy businessman whose primary interests include coal and agriculture outmaneuvered Marriott Hotel Services Inc. to land the purchase of the famed resort. Before the announcement of the sale, not many people in West Virginia had ever heard of the Marshall alumnus. But all of that changed quickly as the media began to ask, “Who is Jim Justice?”
What they found is that Justice, who earned both his Bachelor of Arts (’74) and Master of Business Administration (’76) from Marshall, got his start in the business world working in the family business. His father, James, was the owner of Bluestone Coal Inc., which owned mines throughout West Virginia. Shortly after joining his father, the younger Justice founded a new company for the family business that he named Bluestone Farms. The agriculture-based entity began acquiring land to grow corn, wheat and soybeans. Today, the operation is the largest grain producer on the East Coast with 50,000 acres of farms in four states. Justice took over the coal operations after his father passed away in 1993.
“My dad and I were best buddies. We worked side by side,” Justice recalls. “He was my best man in my wedding. Gosh, I miss him. He taught me so much. When I was 18, he gave me a job to do and I dropped the ball. He summoned me to his office, and I remember standing in front of his desk and saying, ‘Dad, there wasn’t anything I could do.’ All of a sudden he jumped from his chair, grabbed me by the shirt and said, ‘There’s always something you can do, and you better damn well always remember that.’ That was my dad. He believed if something was really tough, it would take a couple of days, and if it was impossible it would take another day.”
After taking over at Bluestone Coal, Justice began accumulating thousands of acres of coal reserves and eventually began opening new mines in West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. He oversaw a tremendous expansion of the company before selling the active West Virginia operations in 2009 to a Russian company for $436 million. Today, Justice still owns several other coal properties and is the president of 48 different companies including cotton gins, Christmas tree farms, turf grass operations, golf courses, timber enhancement and land projects.
• • • • •
At Marshall, Justice excelled in the classroom and on the golf course. In fact, he was good enough on the links that the new head coach at the time, Joe Feaganes, named him captain of the team during his junior and senior years.
“I developed lifelong friendships with many of the guys that were on the team,” Justice reflects. “There are a lot of really good memories there. I loved Marshall and the camaraderie of the team.”
Of all the professors under which Justice studied, he says there was one he will never forget.
“When I first transferred to Marshall, I had Dr. Robert Alexander for Principles of Management,” he recalls. “He walked into class, opened his grade book and said, ‘Well let’s see, the last class here made 22 As, 18 Bs and one C.’ So I’m thinking, ‘This is going to be a piece-of-cake class.’ And then all of a sudden he peered out over his glasses and said, ‘If you can’t make an A or B in my class I don’t feel like I’ve done my job – but you better buckle up, because I’m getting ready to work your ass off.’ That was the way he was. He worked you hard, but he was a terrific teacher. I carry that with me today.”
Justice notes that while he did spend some time at the Varsity and Wiggins restaurants during his years at Marshall, most of his free time was spent with Cathy or traipsing through the hills and valleys near Huntington.
“I love to hunt and fish, and I love the outdoors,” he explains. “The great thing about Huntington is that it never gets too cold. You’re right on the river, and in the middle of winter I would be duck hunting or quail hunting. In fact, I had a bird dog that I kept with me in my apartment. Her name was Lady.”
Although Justice describes his six years at Marshall as some of the best of his life, he does recall with great sadness the one event that changed him, the university and the city forever.
“Nov. 14, 1970. There aren’t many moments in your life where you know exactly where you were and what you were doing when you heard the news, but I do. I was on the third floor of South Hall (now Holderby Hall) in my dorm room,” he explains. “It was 10 p.m. when we heard about the plane crash. It was drizzling rain outside. I knew a lot of the players and the people that were on the plane. It was bad. It was a tough time.”
However, Justice says he thinks Hollywood’s portrayal of those events and the subsequent rebuilding of the university in the movie We Are Marshall is an excellent reminder of that tragic yet inspiring story.
“I was so excited to see the release of We Are Marshall,” Justice says. “I loved the film. I thought it captured a lot of those moments of truth and the rebirth of the university.”
• • • • •
After Justice completed the purchase of The Greenbrier, he immediately went to work putting his mark on the 232-year-old resort. He began by rehiring hundreds of furloughed workers and inking a new contract with the union. He opened an upscale steakhouse that he named Prime 44 West after his good friend, NBA legend Jerry West. (West wore the number 44 throughout his career.) The restaurant is adorned with memorabilia from West’s prolific career.
“I love The Greenbrier and was thrilled when Jim approached me with this idea,” West told WV Living magazine. “I am honored to be part of the greatest resort that ever was.”
Thinking outside the box, Justice then announced a “Tribute to the Virginias” promotion that offered rooms for as low as $59 a night. The idea was a huge hit. Next, Justice announced plans to build an $80 million underground casino, and a mere 10 months later it was up and running. In addition to gambling, the Monte Carlo-style casino features high-end shops, bars and a world-class restaurant. Justice paid to have a bevy of celebrities flown in for the grand opening including Debbie Reynolds, Raquel Welch, Barbara Eden, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Brooke Shields, Jane Seymour, Jessica Simpson, Ben Affleck and West Virginia’s own Jennifer Garner. Singer Lionel Richie was also on hand to perform a concert of his greatest hits.
While the casino was under construction, Justice brokered a six-year deal that would bring the first-ever PGA TOUR golf tournament to West Virginia. The Greenbrier Classic debuted on the Old White Course in July to rave reviews from players, fans and TOUR officials. Justice spent millions of dollars on everything from parking to landscaping to course renovations in order to make the tournament a first-class event. He even flipped the bill so ticket holders could attend free evening concerts featuring country stars Brad Paisley, Reba McEntire, Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood. The tournament, won by Stuart Appleby who carded an elusive 59 on the final day, gave both the resort and the state of West Virginia tremendous exposure on national television.
All of Justice’s bold moves seem to be paying off. When he took over The Greenbrier the resort was averaging an occupancy rate of 30 percent. Today the resort is averaging 85 percent. Next on his list of goals is to restore the coveted Forbes (formerly Mobil) five star rating that the resort lost in 2000.
“The Greenbrier is our state’s treasure,” Justice says. “We’ve earned the AAA?Five Diamond Award for 34 years – every year since they started. We’re one of only three resorts that can say that. We’re committed like a laser to getting that fifth star back. It may not be this year, because it is a challenge, but we’re going to meet that challenge.”
Most important to Justice is the fact that his entire family supports him in his efforts to make The Greenbrier a success. His wife Cathy, son Jay and daughter Jill told WV Living magazine: “If anyone can do it, Big Jimmy can.”
In addition to heading up 48 different companies, including his recent purchase of the Resort at Glade Springs in Beckley, Justice has also found time to coach girls’ basketball for the last 25 years. Justice takes the role seriously, studying game film and scouting opposing teams on a regular basis. The result? More than 750 career wins and the respect of both his players and the community.
“He teaches sportsmanship, teamwork, the fundamentals of the game and what it’s like to compete at the highest level,” said John Curry, superintendent of Greenbrier County schools, in an interview with the Charleston Gazette after the newspaper named Justice West Virginian of the Year. “Coach Justice epitomizes all the good things about sports. It’s just a delight to watch him work and see the passion he has for student athletes and basketball itself.”
“He takes care of these girls as if they were his own daughters,” added Jeff Bryant, principal at Greenbrier East High School.
In coaching, Justice has been generous with both his time and money. He paid $300,000 to have a parquet floor installed at the Greenbrier East High School gym. He also bought an inflatable tunnel for his players to run through when introduced, while simultaneously a large video screen showcases each player’s photo.
Sports have always been important to Jim, his wife Cathy explains.
“He works all the time, but when the kids were growing up, he never missed a game they played,” she told USA Today. “We don’t take vacations. Instead we find our escape in sports.”
Justice is well aware of his good fortune. Last year at Christmas he boarded his private helicopter in Beckley and flew to the rural community of Crumpler in McDowell County. When he emerged from the helicopter he was dressed as Santa Claus and proceeded to hand out $30,000 worth of gifts to 50 low-income children including stuffed animals, collector’s coins and $100 Walmart gift cards. It was the 10th consecutive year that Justice, or Santa, made the trip to Crumpler.
“He’s the most beautiful human being you’d ever meet,” said John Klemish, director of sales at The Greenbrier Sporting Club, in an interview with the Charleston Gazette. “With Jim Justice, it’s all about giving, giving, giving.”
“Jim is a great humanitarian and has a heart greater than all outdoors,” adds Joe Manchin, former West Virginia governor and now a U.S. senator. “He wants to help everyone.”
• • • • •
Running nearly 50 companies, coaching high school basketball, spending time with his family and giving back to the community all take time, so how does Justice do it? First, he only sleeps about four hours a night. Second, he has passion for his work.
“I love what I do, and I think that’s the key to everything,” Justice explains. “I think if you’ve got a real passion for what you’re doing and you really enjoy it, you’ll be successful.”
Today, life for one of Marshall University’s most successful graduates is a combination of hard work and simplicity.
“My foundation is simple,” he explains. “First is my faith in God, second is my family, third are my employees and fourth is helping kids. It’s what I do day in and day out, and I love every minute of it.”
Justice is often described by friends as sincere, humble and one of the most genuine people you will ever meet.
“He’s a typical West Virginian,” West told the Charleston Gazette. “He’s humble, funny, giving, a fun guy, yet tough-minded in his approach to doing things. West Virginia should feel lucky he owns The Greenbrier. The historic resort couldn’t be in better hands. He’ll do everything he can to give people a reason to come there. He’s a visionary, and he knows how to get things done.”
Some people say that Justice’s decision to buy The Greenbrier was a sentimental one because of his unabashed love for the state of West Virginia, a claim the big man with the big heart readily acknowledges.
“West Virginia is the most beautiful state in the union,” Justice affirms. “Our people are full of love and kindness. We have incredibly skilled craftsmen who are the envy of the nation. When we welcome guests from all over the country, we are sharing some love that is missing from the world. My biggest objective is to help the people of West Virginia be proud of their state. And I want the world to see how good we really are. To me, that is worth everything.”