2026 SESSION

ENROLLED

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 128

Celebrating the life of James Woodrow McGlothlin.

Agreed to by the Senate, February 26, 2026

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 2, 2026

WHEREAS, James Woodrow McGlothlin, a preeminent business leader and a passionate philanthropist who touched countless lives through his generosity to The College of William & Mary and other communities and organizations throughout the Commonwealth, died on August 6, 2025; and

WHEREAS, James “Jim” McGlothlin grew up in Buchanan County and laid down strong roots in Southwest Virginia that endured throughout his life; after receiving a bachelor's degree from The College of William & Mary in 1962 and a law degree from what is now the William & Mary Law School in 1964, he returned to Grundy, where he co-founded a legal practice; and

WHEREAS, in 1970, Jim McGlothlin changed careers and cofounded United Coal Company, which grew to become The United Company, a global enterprise spanning coal, oil, gas, real estate, hospitality, and finance; and

WHEREAS, under Jim McGlothlin's visionary leadership as chair and chief executive officer, The United Company became one of the leading private businesses in the Commonwealth; among many achievements, he oversaw the establishment of the first casino in the Commonwealth, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Bristol; and

WHEREAS, Jim McGlothlin was a passionate philanthropist who worked diligently to enhance the quality of life in Southwest Virginia and support the arts, health care, and education at the state level; and

WHEREAS, Jim McGlothlin was a board member of the Mountain Mission School in Grundy, which provides education to at-risk youth from around the world; he established The Olde Farm Golf Club in Washington County, which raised millions of dollars to support Mountain Mission School through its American Legends golf tournament; and

WHEREAS, Jim McGlothlin and his wife, Frances, also gave transformative gifts to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, leading to the establishment of The James W. and Frances Gibson McGlothlin Collection of American Art, the McGlothlin Wing, and the future McGlothlin Wing II; and

WHEREAS, Jim McGlothlin served on The College of William & Mary Board of Visitors from 1984 to 1993 and was a prolific supporter of his alma mater for decades; his generosity is evident across campus, from McGlothlin Street Hall to the Smith-McGlothlin Grandstand at Zable Stadium and the McGlothlin Courtroom, which was the most technologically advanced educational trial and appellate courtroom in the world at the time of its construction; and

WHEREAS, Jim and Frances McGlothlin established the McGlothlin Leadership Forum, a signature initiative that brings global leaders to The College of William & Mary to engage with business and law school students on public policy issues, and created the McGlothlin Scholars endowment program to enhance the institution's ability to recruit students of compelling ability; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of his incredible legacy of service to The College of William & Mary, Jim McGlothlin has received the Alumni Medallion and the Citizen-Lawyer Award, both prestigious honors; and

WHEREAS, Jim McGlothlin was also involved with the VCU School of Medicine, where he and Frances created a scholarship program and were the primary benefactors of the McGlothlin Medical Education Center, which opened in 2013; and

WHEREAS, Jim McGlothlin's philanthropy will continue in perpetuity, in part through The United Company's ongoing support and funding of the James W. and Frances Gibson McGlothlin Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Jim McGlothlin will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife, Frances; his children, Martha, Tara, and Gibson, and their families; and numerous other family members, friends, and colleagues; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of James Woodrow McGlothlin, a champion for Southwest Virginia and a distinguished alumnus of The College of William & Mary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of James Woodrow McGlothlin as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.