Jimmy Haslam

Last updated

Jimmy Haslam
Haslam 2012 Sports Awards (cropped).jpg
Haslam in 2013
Born
James Arthur Haslam III

(1954-03-09) March 9, 1954 (age 70) [1]
Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Alma mater University of Tennessee
Occupation(s)Businessman, NFL, MLS and NBA team owner, philanthropist
Years active1974–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1976)​
Children3
Parent(s) Jim Haslam
Cynthia Haslam
Relatives Bill Haslam (brother)
AwardsTwo-time MLS Cup champion

James Arthur Haslam III (born March 9, 1954) is an American businessman and sports executive. He is the chairman of the board of the Pilot Flying J truck stop chain. He and his wife Dee own the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL), the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer (MLS), and a stake in the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Haslam has won two MLS Cup Championships (2020 and 2023) as owner of the Crew.

Contents

His father Jim Haslam founded the Pilot Corporation in 1958 as the Pilot Oil Corporation.

Personal life

Haslam, who lives in his native Knoxville, Tennessee, is the elder brother of Bill Haslam, former Governor of Tennessee. [2] He is married to Susan "Dee" Bagwell Haslam, CEO of RIVR Media, part of the family ownership group of Pilot and co-owner of the Browns and Crew. They have three adult children, James Bagwell Haslam (adopted 2016), Whitney Haslam Johnson, and Cynthia Haslam Arnholt and five grandchildren.

While attending the University of Tennessee, Haslam was a roommate of Bob Corker, who went on to become a United States Senator from Tennessee. He is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. [2]

Pilot Flying J

Haslam began his career at Pilot Corporation in 1976. In 1980, Haslam was named vice president of sales, development and operations. At that time, Pilot operated 100 convenience stores with annual fuel sales of about 125 million gallons. Pilot opened its first travel center in 1981, and by 1996 – the same year Haslam was named president and chief executive officer – the company operated 96 travel centers and 50 convenience stores and its total gallon sales had reached 1.2 billion. Pilot Corporation attained yet another milestone in 2001 when it joined with Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC to form Pilot Travel Centers LLC.

In 2008, Pilot Corporation announced that CVC Capital Partners had acquired 49.8% interest in Pilot Travel Centers LLC, facilitating the sale by Marathon Petroleum Company (formerly Marathon Ashland Petroleum) of its interest in Pilot Travel Centers. Pilot Corporation retained 50% ownership of Pilot Travel Centers LLC. In 2015, the Haslam family acquired all of CVC Capital Partners’ shares in the company. Pilot’s convenience store operations continue to be fully owned by Pilot Corporation. In 2010, Pilot Travel Centers LLC joined with Flying J Inc. In 2012, Pilot Flying J acquired Western Petroleum and the majority ownership of Maxum Petroleum and in 2012 formed Maxum Enterprises LLC, d/b/a Pilot Logistics Services. In 2014, Pilot Logistics Services merged with Thomas Petroleum to form Pilot Thomas Logistics. Pilot Flying J subsidiary Pilot Thomas Logistics is one of the fastest growing energy logistics companies in North America.

Pilot Flying J is one of the largest top 10 privately held companies in the United States and employs more than 24,000 employees. The Pilot Flying J network provides customers with access to more than 70,000 parking spaces for trucks, 4,800 showers and 4,300 diesel lanes featuring DEF at the pump.

In April 2013, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service agents executed a search and seizure warrant and affidavit detailing a five-year fraud scheme by the Pilot Flying J chain. The company paid restitution to customers and agreed to pay a $92 million penalty pursuant to a Criminal Enforcement Agreement. [3] [4]

Community involvement

Haslam's civic involvement includes service on the board of directors of Anderson Media Corporation. He also has served on the boards of the United Way of Greater Knoxville, Lakeshore Park in Knoxville and the National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO). In addition, Haslam served as honorary chair of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland campaign committee and as campaign chair for Knox Area Rescue Ministries and United Way of Greater Knoxville.

In 2006, he served as Tennessee statewide campaign chair for the United States Senator Bob Corker and in 2012, he served as Statewide Finance Chairman for Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, his brother. [5] Haslam was inducted into the Junior Achievement of East Tennessee Business Hall of Fame in 2007, and in 2010, he was named a recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award for the Southeast region. In 2013, the University of Tennessee recognized Haslam with the Distinguished Alumnus Award. He is the co-founder of the Haslam Scholars Program for premier honor students at the University of Tennessee. [5]

Sports ownership

National Football League

Haslam bought a minority interest in the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008. In 2012, he reached an agreement with Browns owner Randy Lerner to purchase the franchise for $1 billion. The Browns were valued at $977 million in 2011 by Forbes magazine, 20th in the NFL. NFL rules prohibit ownership in multiple teams and so Haslam sold his interest in the Steelers. [2] [6] The Haslams' purchase of the Browns was unanimously approved by the 32 teams in the NFL on October 12; the sale itself closed thirteen days later. [7]

Since officially taking over the Browns seven games into the 2012 season, and through the end of the 2020 regular season, Haslam has a 44-94-1 record as team owner (including going 0-16 in 2017), but had his first winning season in 2020 when the Browns went 11-5, and won his first postseason game as Browns owner when they defeated the Steelers 48-37 in the Wild Card round of the 2020–21 NFL playoffs.

Major League Soccer

In late 2018, reports emerged that Haslam had purchased Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew from Anthony Precourt, who wanted to move the club to Austin, Texas. Haslam, along with his wife Dee and former team physician Pete Edwards, took over as owners on January 1, 2019, as a deal to purchase the club from Precourt was finalized. [8]

The Crew won MLS Cup 2020, giving Haslam his first major sports championship as an owner. [9] The Crew won their second MLS Cup under Haslam's ownership in 2023.

National Basketball Association

In 2023, Haslam and his wife purchased a stake in the Milwaukee Bucks from Marc Lasry, making them co-owners of the team with Wes Edens and Jamie Dinan. [10]

Awards and honors

Sports ownership

Business

Previous directorial works

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleveland Browns</span> National Football League franchise in Ohio

The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team is named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown. They play their home games at Cleveland Browns Stadium, which opened in 1999, with administrative offices and training facilities in Berea, Ohio. The franchise's official club colors are brown, orange, and white. They are unique among the 32 member clubs of the NFL in that they do not have a logo on their helmets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbus Crew</span> Soccer club in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.

The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio. The Crew competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference and began play in 1996 as one of the 10 charter clubs of the league. The team is currently operated by an ownership group led by the Haslam family and former team physician Pete Edwards. The Haslam/Edwards group is the third ownership group in club history. The Crew is considered to be one of the most successful clubs in MLS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles J. Precourt</span> American astronaut (born 1955)

Charles Joseph Precourt is a retired NASA astronaut. His career in flight began at an early age, and spans his entire lifetime. He served in the US Air Force, piloted numerous jet aircraft, and piloted and commanded the Space Shuttle. Notably, he piloted or commanded several missions which involved docking with the Russian Mir space station and was heavily involved in Russian/US Space relations as well as the International Space Station collaboration. He also served as Chief of the Astronaut Office from 1998 to 2002. He retired from the USAF with the rank of colonel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speedway (store)</span> American convenience store and fuel station chain owned by Japanese Seven & I Holdings

Speedway is an American convenience store and fuel station chain headquartered in Enon, Ohio, with locations primarily in the Midwest and the East Coast regions of the United States wholly owned and operated by 7-Eleven. Speedway stations are located in 36 states, up significantly from its core seven-state region in the Midwest since 2012. Prior to 2021, the company was a wholly owned subsidiary of the Marathon Petroleum Corporation. It is the largest convenience store chain in central Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Haslam</span> American businessman & politician (born 1958)

William Edward Haslam is an American billionaire businessman and politician who served as the 49th governor of Tennessee from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, Haslam previously served as the 67th mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee.

FJ Management Inc., formerly known as Flying J Inc., is a privately held American corporation which operates convenience stores, oil & refining, banking, and insurance businesses. Along with Pilot Corporation and Berkshire Hathaway, it was a joint-owner of Pilot Flying J, and Maverik convenience stores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pilot Corporation</span> American petroleum and convenience store company

Pilot Company is an American petroleum corporation headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. Pilot operates the Pilot Food Mart convenience stores in Tennessee. Along with Berkshire Hathaway, Pilot is joint-owner of Pilot Flying J, the largest truck stop chain in the United States. FJ Management formerly owned a stake, but sold its stake in Pilot Flying J to Berkshire Hathaway.

Pilot Travel Centers LLC, doing business as Pilot Flying J, is a North American chain of truck stops in the United States and Canada. The company is based in Knoxville, Tennessee. The company is owned by Berkshire Hathaway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Lerner</span> American sports team owner

Randolph David Lerner is an American billionaire investor and former sports-team owner. He became the majority owner of the American football team, the Cleveland Browns, of the National Football League (NFL), upon the death of his father Alfred "Al" Lerner in October 2002. In August 2012, he sold the team. Lerner became the owner and chairman of English club Aston Villa F.C. of the Premier League in 2006, subsequently Lerner sold the club at a loss in 2016 following their relegation. His personal fortune has been estimated at over US$ 1.1 billion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Haslam</span> American businessman and philanthropist (born 1930)

James Arthur Haslam II is an American businessman and philanthropist, best known as the founder of Pilot Corporation, which operates a chain of convenience stores and travel centers throughout the United States and Canada, and is one of the largest privately owned companies in the United States. Haslam is also a donor for the University of Tennessee, having provided tens of millions of dollars to the school over several decades. Haslam's son Jimmy is the current owner of the National Football League's Cleveland Browns and Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew, and his other son Bill is a former Governor of Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Webb School of Knoxville</span> College preparatory day school in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

Webb School of Knoxville is a private coeducational day school in Knoxville, Tennessee, enrolling students from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. It was founded in 1955 by Robert Webb (1919–2005), grandson of Webb School of Bell Buckle founder Sawney Webb. The current President of Webb School of Knoxville is Dr. Ansel Sanders.

The Cleveland Browns relocation controversy—colloquially called "The Move" by fans—followed the announcement by Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell that his National Football League (NFL) team would move from its longtime home of Cleveland to Baltimore for the 1996 NFL season.

Susan "Dee" Haslam is an American businesswoman. She is the founder and executive producer of RIVR Media and CEO of the Haslam Sports Group. Dee is a co-owner of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL), along with her husband, Jimmy Haslam. The Haslams are also majority investors in the ownership group of the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer (MLS) – with two MLS Cup champions during their tenure, and have a partial ownership stake in the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The History of Major League Soccer began in 1988, when the United States Soccer Federation pledged to create a Division 1 professional soccer league as a condition to FIFA awarding the 1994 FIFA World Cup to the United States. Major League Soccer was officially formed in 1995. The league began play in 1996 with 10 teams, and in 1998 grew to 12 teams. MLS experienced some difficulties in its first seasons, with the league losing money in the early years, resulting in two teams folding after the 2001 season. MLS has rebounded since then, with increased attendance and the development of soccer-specific stadiums. With an average attendance of over 20,000 per game, MLS has the third highest average attendance of any sports league in the U.S. after the National Football League (NFL) and Major League Baseball (MLB), and is the seventh highest attended professional soccer league worldwide. MLS currently has 29 teams, with further expansion to 30 teams planned with the addition of San Diego FC in 2025. As of 2023, MLS is the largest first division professional soccer league in the world by number of clubs.

Jay Anthony Precourt Jr. is an American investor and sports team owner. He is the CEO of Two Oak Ventures, a group that owns Major League Soccer club Austin FC and formerly owned the Columbus Crew. He is also a managing partner of Precourt Capital Management, a private investment management firm based in San Francisco, California.

The 2018 Columbus Crew SC season was the club's twenty-third season of existence, and their twenty-third consecutive season in Major League Soccer, the top flight of American soccer. Columbus also competed in the U.S. Open Cup, and took part in the Pacific Rim Cup and Carolina Challenge Cup during preseason. The season covered the period from November 30, 2017, to the start of the 2019 Major League Soccer season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hell Is Real derby</span> Soccer rivalry between the Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati

Hell Is Real is a rivalry between the two Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs based in Ohio: the Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati. Under current MLS regular season scheduling, the series occurs twice per season as both teams are members of the Eastern Conference. The teams first met in 2017 in the U.S. Open Cup before Cincinnati joined MLS in 2019.

References

  1. ↑ Flory, Josh (January 20, 2011). "Big deals, big wheels: Family, political fortunes reach new heights for Haslams". KnoxNews.com. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 Bill Lubinger, The Plain Dealer (July 28, 2012). "Potential Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam uses hands-on business approach". cleveland.com. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  3. ↑ Ellen Myers, "Browns owner Jimmy Haslam's truck stop chain will pay $92 million fraud fine", The Christian Science Monitor, July 15, 2014.
  4. ↑ Solomon, Brian (April 16, 2013). "FBI, IRS Raid Billionaire Jimmy Haslam's Pilot Flying J". Forbes. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Anne Lezotte, "Jimmy Haslam Biography Archived October 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine ," Pilot Flying J, September 11, 2014. Retrieved: September 12, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Jimmy Haslam (III) agrees to $1 billion price tag for Browns". Mansfield News-Journal. August 3, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2012.[ dead link ]
  7. ↑ Cabot, Mary Kay (October 16, 2012). "Jimmy Haslam is new Cleveland Browns owner after unanimous approval by NFL". Cleveland.com . Cleveland Live LLC. Retrieved October 17, 2012. The sale will close Oct. 25, and Lerner will retain a 30 percent stake for four years.
  8. ↑ Patrick Guldan and Pat Murphy (December 28, 2018). "Crew SC officially sold to Edwards, Haslam". MassiveReport.com. SB Nation. Archived from the original on January 2, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  9. ↑ Keh, Andrew (December 11, 2020). "Their Team Almost Left Town. Now It's Playing for a Title". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  10. ↑ "NBA approves sale of Marc Lasry's share of Milwaukee Bucks". 12 WISN . April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.