James L. Laurita, Sr.

Morgantown, West Virginia, native, James Lewis Laurita, Sr. joined the United States Navy after graduating from Morgantown High School. Starting his career working with his father in the Weirton Steel's Richards mine in Sabraton, West Virginia, Laurita joined his father in purchasing three coal trucks and forming a trucking business that hauled coal from companies to markets in northern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania. Laurita opened his first fully mechanized underground mine in Maidsville, West Virginia, in 1969. Over the years he opened a number of additional underground and surface mines, in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Laurita subsequently constructed a coal preparation plant and a barge loading facility which became the center of the mining operations called the Maidsville Complex. During the 70's and 80's, Jim bought the assets of the various companies from his father and two brothers and becoming the sole owner of the family mining companies. He later sold his mining operations to his children. Jim served on the Board of Directors of BB&T Bank and its predecessor One Valley Bank for 25 years. He retired at the age of 70.