James A. Haslam II is the founder and chairman of Pilot Corporation, which currently operates 67 convenience stores in Tennessee and Virginia. Pilot Corporation also owns 50 percent of Pilot Travel Centers LLC, which operates 270 travel centers in 37 states.

A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, Haslam received his bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Tennessee in 1952 and then entered active duty with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He served a tour in Korea as company commander of an Engineer Combat Company before being discharged in 1955. In 1958, Mr. Haslam opened the very first Pilot convenience store in Gate City, Virginia. Since then, under his guidance and a visionary second generation of Haslam leaders, Pilot Corporation has expanded steadily into a nationwide travel center network with annual sales in excess of $4 billion.

Mr. Haslam’s exemplary leadership skills have not solely been reserved for his business pursuits; he has also left his mark on the University of Tennessee and his community. An extraordinarily active civic leader, Mr. Haslam has been at the forefront of growth and development issues on state and local levels – participating on numerous corporate and civic boards, chairing political committees and campaigns, and serving as a faithful steward of his church. Currently a member of the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees and chair of the executive committee of the Athletics Board, Mr. Haslam is a loyal and dedicated friend to the university. His service has been recognized with the Chancellor’s Award for Extraordinary Service (1978), induction into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame (1986), and the Volunteer of the Year Award (1992). In addition, Mr. Haslam has received innumerable accolades from countless organizations within the community that are similarly grateful for his leadership and generosity.

In November 2002, the University of Tennessee renamed a football practice field in his honor; Mr Haslam was captain of the university’s 1952 football team and starting tackle on its Neyland-coached 1951 national championship team. Haslam Field was dedicated to James A Haslam II “as a testament to his life and personal example of giving back to his university and home community.”

Mr. Haslam and his wife Natalie have six children and are proud grandparents seventeen times over.