James McGlothlin

1940 - 2025

James Woodrow McGlothlin believed in possibilities especially ones that no one else saw.

Whether transforming a bankrupt coal company into a thriving, global enterprise or quietly changing the course of a child's life, Jim never followed the crowd. He trusted his instincts, kept his word, and always invested in people and the Southwest Virginia Region he loved.

Born in Richlands, Virginia, on June 18, 1940, to Woodrow and Sally Ann McGlothlin, Jim grew up in Buchanan County in the Appalachian Region and attended Garden High School. He held a life-long love for its people.

He graduated from The College of William and Mary, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology (1962) and a Juris Doctorate from The Marshall-Wythe School of Law (1964). He would later receive an honorary Doctorate of Laws (LL.D.) in 2000, a tribute to his life of accomplishment and service.

Jim returned to his hometown of Grundy, VA, and practiced law before founding The United Coal Company in 1970. Over the next five decades, he grew it into The United Company, a powerhouse in coal, real estate, energy, and diversified investments. Under Jim's leadership as Chairman and CEO, The United Company expanded to include a number of significant subsidiaries, including United Supply Company, Birmingham Steel, United Oil and Minerals, Scratch Golf, LLC, and United Hospitality and Leisure, LLC.

Jim also served as a director on numerous corporate boards, including CSX Corporation, Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc., Dominion Bankshares Corporation, and The PGA Tour as well as a Trustee of First Tee Foundation.

Jim's success in business never dimmed his sense of responsibility to others. A passionate philanthropist, he was especially committed to education, the arts, and the people of Southwest Virginia. He was a lifelong supporter and board member of Mountain Mission School in Grundy, which provides education and care to thousands of orphaned and in-need children from around the globe.

He and his beloved wife, Frances Gibson McGlothlin, shared a deep passion for art, education, and giving back. Together, they were transformational benefactors of The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, and their alma mater, William and Mary, where they established the McGlothlin Leadership Forum, McGlothlin Scholars and funded many other projects for the school.

Jim also helped create The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, in Bristol, VA, a bold and visionary economic development that brought jobs, tourism, and new life to a region that had long been underserved. He saw the casino not just as a business venture, but also as a community catalyst and it has proved to be exactly that, generating millions of dollars in tax revenue and creating badly-needed job opportunities in the heart of Appalachia.

A lifelong lover of golf, Jim built The Olde Farm Golf Club in 2000 as a place where friendships were deepened, laughter echoed across fairways, and dreams took root. It became one of the top-rated private golf clubs in the nation, but more importantly, it reflected Jim's values, remarkable generosity, unwavering kindness, and a true commitment to others. The club also became the setting for his most extraordinary philanthropic vision: The American Legends, which, among other achievements, raised more than $56 million for Mountain Mission School in a single day. Additionally, he was a member of The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, The Old Collier Golf Club and many others. He was named Virginia Businessman of the Year in 2022.

Jim had a rare ability to imagine big things and make them happen. He was brilliant, funny, demanding, generous, and endlessly curious. He was as comfortable discussing American Art as he was a coal seam, and he mentored and inspired countless people during his lifetime. He made everyone around him think more boldly.

Jim died August 6, 2025, as he had lived: fully engaged, surrounded by dear friends, and doing what he loved most.

He is survived by his wife, Frances Gibson McGlothlin, and his children, Martha Bowman (Mark), Tara Verkuil (David) and Gibson Verkuil (Dena), his six grandchildren, Lucy Verkuil, Orrin Verkiul, Jackson Gayle, Janie Gayle, James Gayle and Gordon Gayle, his siblings, Michael McGlothlin and Tom McGlothlin, and a wide circle of friends and colleagues who will carry his legacy forward.

On the final day of his life, he played a great round of golf, shared a joyful dinner with Fran and friends at their beloved Thistle Hill. He was 85 and still planning numerous new businesses and all the things he and Fran would do next. There could be no finer ending to such a remarkable life. A private celebration of life will be held at a later date, following the completion of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Mountain Mission School or Morrison School.