Jim Haslam

Haslam was born in 1930 in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Melitta (Fry) and James Arthur Haslam. His father was a World War I veteran who was, at the time, working for the Studebaker Corporation. The family lived for a time in Pennsylvania before moving to St. Petersburg, Florida. Jim was a star football player at St. Petersburg High School, and had offers to play at several colleges. He eventually chose the University of Tennessee, following a recruiting visit from legendary U.T. coach Robert Neyland. Haslam enrolled at the University of Tennessee in 1948. During the Volunteers' 1951 national championship season, he was a starter on an offensive line that helped his Sigma Chi fraternity brother, Hank Lauricella, to an All American season and a second-place finish in the voting for the Heisman Trophy. Haslam was a captain on the 1952 team, but missed the last few games of the season due to eligibility issues. Following graduation, Haslam joined the United States Army, with the commission of Second Lieutenant. He spent several months in Korea following the 1953 armistice that ended combat operations in the Korean War. After returning to Tennessee, he turned down an offer to coach the South Pittsburg High School football team, and instead joined LaFollette, Tennessee-based Fleet Oil. After about a year, Fleet president Sam Claiborne appointed Haslam head of the company's new Sail Oil chain of stations. ==Career==

Pilot Oil In 1958, Haslam left Sail Oil to start his own company, having made an agreement with Claiborne that he would not compete in East Tennessee for three years. had four fuel pumps, and sold cigarettes and soft drinks. That year, Haslam's son, Jimmy, moved up to CEO, while his other son, Bill, moved up to president. Haslam became the company's chairman. In 2003, Pilot bought 60 locations from Williams' Travel Centers for $189 million. By 2008, Pilot was the nation's largest operator of travel centers, with locations in 40 states and Canada, and was the nation's largest seller of over-the-road diesel fuel. That year, Pilot bought out Marathon's share of Pilot Travel Centers for $700 million, and in turn, sold a 47.5% stake to CVC Investments. Pilot Flying J In 2010, Pilot Travel Centers merged with the bankrupt truck stop chain Flying J to form Pilot Flying J. The new company featured over 550 locations in 23 states and Canada, and employed over 23,000 people. ==Politics==

Haslam has been involved in politics in Knoxville, Tennessee, where Pilot is headquartered, both in an active role, and as a Republican Party fundraiser. He was a fundraiser for both Senator Howard Baker in the 1960s and President Gerald Ford in the 1970s. He was also appointed chairman of the Knox County Public Building Authority in the early 1970s. In 1999, Knox County declined to reappoint Haslam to the Public Building Authority, which some interpreted as revenge for his support of a failed metropolitan government initiative the previous year. In 2021 he donated to Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema (Democrat) and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin (Democrat), $2,900 to each. ==Philanthropy==

Haslam serves on the University of Tennessee's board of trustees and has donated tens of millions of dollars to the school and its athletic programs over the years. In 2002, the football team's new practice field was named "Haslam Field" in his honor. The Haslam family's $32.5 million donation in 2006 represents the school's largest gift ever. Part of this money was used to construct the new College of Business building, the James A. Haslam II Business Building, as well as to construct a new building for the School of Music, The Natalie L. Haslam Music Center. The money also supported construction of the Baker Center and renovations to Neyland Stadium. In 2014, the University of Tennessee announced that its College of Business would be renamed in honor of Haslam after the family donated $50 million to the university. ==Personal life==

Haslam married Cynthia Allen in 1953. Haslam married his longtime friend, Natalie Leach Tucker, in 1976. Through her, he has three stepchildren, Jennie McCabe, Susan Robie, and Carol Pattison. but sold it to accommodate his purchase of the Cleveland Browns franchise in August 2012. ==References==