About Us

Bright Enterprises is a “Family Office” consisting of a significant group of privately held businesses headquartered in Summersville, West Virginia. Founded in 1959, Bright Enterprises’ investments and businesses are owned by William T. Bright, his family, family trusts and management.

Much of the original capital for Bright Enterprises evolved from the sale of coal and manufacturing assets in 1989 and 1990. Current Bright Enterprises holdings include Winterplace Ski resort near Beckley, WV; substantial royalty interests in coal, oil and gas properties; a 55 million gallon per year ethanol production facility in Michigan; oil exploration and production businesses in Alberta, Canada; a chain of 24 hour personal fitness centers; Adventures on the Gorge, a whitewater rafting and other adventure activities business in Fayette County, WV; and, The Elk River Railroad, an 80-mile shortline railroad.

In addition, Bright Enterprises maintains a significant portfolio of domestic and international passive investments including hedge funds, private equity and real estate partnerships, common stocks and other passive investments.

Other recent holdings, which have been sold, include a 300 well coalbed methane business; a natural gas processing plant and pipelines in Michigan; Glade Springs Resort, a 4,400 acre golf and convention resort along with a 3,000 homesite master planned community; and, a large real estate development project in Florida.

Current and Past Members of The Bright Group of companies include:

• Amos Townsend & Associates, Inc.
• Bright Timberlands, LLC
• Almost Heaven Mountain Resort 
• The Elk River Railroad, Inc.
• B&L Development, LLC
• Glade Springs Resort, LLC 
• Bakerstown Mining, LLC
• Glade Springs Village
• Bright Coal Corporation
• The Resort at Glade Springs
• Bright Energy, LLC 
• Land Use Corporation
• Bright Forestlands, LLC
• New Winterplace, LLC
• Bright Mining & Land Company, LP 
• Nicholas County Coal Company
• Bright Mountain Estates
• Adventure Investments LLC
• Tioga Oil & Gas, LLC