Justin Potter

Justin Potter
Born	1898 Liberty, Tennessee
Died	1961
Cause of death	cancer
Nationality	American
Occupation	Businessman
Spouse(s)	Valere (Blair) Potter
Relatives	David K. Wilson (son-in-law) Justin P. Wilson (grandson)

Justin Potter (a.k.a. "Jet" Potter) (1898–1961) was an American businessman from Tennessee. His business interests included coal mining in Kentucky and its sales distribution, a chemical corporation, insurance, banking and media. Staunchly opposed to labor unions, he hired armed guards to keep them away from his coal mines. He was also a strident opponent of the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Potter was born in 1898 in Liberty, Tennessee. His father was a banker. When he was eight years old, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee with his family. He had a brother, Edward Potter, Jr. (1896-1976), who founded the Commerce Union Bank in Nashville (now merged with Bank of America).

In 1920, he founded the Nashville Coal Co., a coal distribution company. By 1955, it had become the tenth largest coal company in the United States. That year, he sold it to businessman Cyrus Eaton (1883–1979) for US$18 million. In 1958, he became the majority shareholder of Virginia-Carolina Chemical Co. and served as its President. Additionally, he served on the Board of Directors of the Cherokee Insurance Corporation. He owned over 100,000 acres of coalfields in Western Kentucky as President of the Crescent Coal Co., headquartered ion Central City, Kentucky. For example, he owned a large coal mine in Uniontown, Kentucky. Under his leadership, the presence of labor unions were not allowed and he was categorically opposed to them. He personally expressed his disapproval of the tactics used by union leader John L. Lewis (1880–1969). He even hired armed guards to keep union members away from his coal mines. Additionally, he was a mentor to Joe C. Davis, Jr. (1919–1989) in the coal distribution industry.

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