Accessibility links

Breaking News

Factbox: West Virginia Governor Jim Justice


FILE - Governor Jim Justice delivers his first State of the State speech in Charleston, W.Va., Feb. 8, 2017.
FILE - Governor Jim Justice delivers his first State of the State speech in Charleston, W.Va., Feb. 8, 2017.

Who is Jim Justice?

He was born in 1951 in Charleston, West Virginia. He went to school there and graduated from Marshall University with a master's degree in Business Administration.

He is the state's only billionaire.

He started Justice Family Farms in 1977.

Upon the death of his father in 1993, he became president of Bluestone Industries and Bluestone Coal. He now owns coal mines in five states.

He is owner and CEO of more than 50 companies, including the Greenbriar Resort in Sulpher Springs, West Virginia.

He ran for governor as a member of the Democratic Party in 2016. He had been a registered Republican until February 2015, when he switched parties.

He is married to his high school girlfriend, Cathy. They have two children, Jay and Jill.

XS
SM
MD
LG