14 Facts About Jim Haslam

Jim Haslam is a donor for the University of Tennessee, having provided tens of millions of dollars to the school over several decades.

Jim Haslam was born in 1930 in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Melitta and James Arthur Jim Haslam.

Jim Haslam's father was a World War I veteran who was, at the time, working for the Studebaker Corporation.

Jim Haslam was a star football player at St Petersburg High School, and had offers to play at several colleges.

Jim Haslam was a captain on the 1952 team, but missed the last few games of the season due to eligibility issues.

Jim Haslam spent several months in Korea following the 1953 armistice that ended combat operations in the Korean War.

In 1958, Jim 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.

Jim Haslam has been involved in politics in Knoxville, Tennessee, where Pilot is headquartered, both in an active role, and as a Republican Party fundraiser.

Jim Haslam was a fundraiser for both Senator Howard Baker in the 1960s and President Gerald Ford in the 1970s.

Jim Haslam was appointed chairman of the Knox County Public Building Authority in the early 1970s.

Jim Haslam blamed Jim for UT's hiring of controversial president, John Shumaker, in 2002.

Jim Haslam was the Tennessee state co-chairman for the 2012 presidential campaign of Republican candidate Mitt Romney.

Jim 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.

Jim Haslam owned a minority stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers but sold it to accommodate his purchase of the Cleveland Browns franchise in August 2012.