James A. “Jimmy” Haslam III, chief executive officer of Pilot Flying J and owner of the Cleveland Browns, will join the Haslam College of Business’s Supply Chain Forum as its keynote speaker on Wednesday, April 8. Haslam will discuss the trucking industry and Pilot Flying J as well as the similarities between business and the National Football League.
Steve Mangum, Dean of the Haslam College of Business and the Stokely Foundation Leadership Chair, says it is a privilege to host Jimmy Haslam at the Supply Chain Forum. “I’m certain the forum participants will be very interested in what he has to say about the current state of the trucking industry and the dynamic world in which logistics companies operate.”
Pilot Flying J is one of the top 10 privately held companies in the United States and employs more than 24,000 people. It provides more than 65,000 parking spaces for trucks, 4,400 showers and 4,500 diesel lanes. Pilot Flying J subsidiary Pilot Thomas Logistics is one of the fastest growing energy logistics companies in North America.
Haslam joined the company, which was founded by his father, in 1976, and over the next 20 years shepherded it from 100 convenience stores to more than 650 travel centers and 40 convenience stores.
In 2008, Haslam became a part owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, marking the first time ownership of the franchise expanded beyond the Rooney and McGinley families. In October 2012, Haslam sold his interest in the Steelers and purchased controlling interest in the Cleveland Browns.
The Supply Chain Forum at the Haslam College of Business has hosted corporate leaders, faculty and students to discuss the latest in supply chain issues for two decades. Managers from 60 top corporations participate in the forum. Past keynote speakers have included the CEO and founder of FedEx and senior executives from Goodyear, Walmart and Amazon, among others.
The supply chain program at the Haslam College of Business is ranked among the top programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report, Gartner, Business Week, and Supply Chain Management Review. The Supply Chain Forum is a recognized leader in current issues and strategies in global supply chain.
Supply Chain Forum events are for Forum sponsoring companies and by invitation only. Media who wish to cover Haslam’s keynote address should contact Katie Bahr.
Contact: Katie Bahr, writer/publicist, Haslam College of Business, 865-974-3589, katiebahr@utk.edu
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