Jimmy Haslam built Pilot Flying J, the truck-stop chain founded by his father, into Pilot Company, the largest network of travel centers and one of the biggest sellers of diesel and transportation fuel in North America, with more than 800 locations and roughly $26 billion in annual revenue. For decades that fuel-and-logistics empire made the Haslam family a dominant force in the movement of goods across American highways.
Between 2017 and January 2024 the Haslams sold Pilot to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway in stages, ultimately transferring 100% ownership in deals worth well over $13 billion. The final exit followed a bitter legal fight in which the family and Berkshire each accused the other of manipulating Pilot's value; the case was settled before trial in early 2024.
Today Haslam's primary platform is Haslam Sports Group, through which he and his wife Dee own the NFL's Cleveland Browns, MLS's Columbus Crew, and a stake in the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks. His personal fortune, estimated around $8.5 billion, and his family's continued prominence keep him an influential figure in business, sports and Tennessee politics, where his brother Bill served as governor.
What they control
- Haslam Sports Group: the Cleveland Browns (NFL), Columbus Crew (MLS) and a stake in the Milwaukee Bucks (NBA)
- Large proceeds from the multi-stage sale of Pilot to Berkshire Hathaway, redeployed into sports and investments
- A continuing family network spanning business and Tennessee politics
- Real-estate and stadium-development interests tied to his sports franchises
- Legacy influence over the truck-stop and fuel-retail industry he reshaped
Key institutions & holdings
Sold in full to Berkshire Hathaway by January 2024.
Owns the Browns, Columbus Crew and a Bucks stake.
Acquired the NFL franchise in 2012.
Key facts
- Grew Pilot into a network of 800-plus travel centers generating about $26 billion in annual revenue.
- The Haslam family sold Pilot to Berkshire Hathaway in stages (2017, 2023 and January 2024) in deals worth over $13 billion.
- Estimated net worth around $8.5 billion in 2025.
- Owns the Cleveland Browns, the Columbus Crew (two-time MLS Cup champions), and a stake in the Milwaukee Bucks.
- Was not charged in the 2013 Pilot Flying J fuel-rebate fraud, which led to convictions of 17 former employees.
- His brother Bill Haslam served as governor of Tennessee from 2011 to 2019.
Timeline
- 1976Joins the family truck-stop business and helps drive its national expansion.
- 2012Buys the Cleveland Browns.
- 2013FBI raids Pilot Flying J headquarters in a fuel-rebate fraud investigation.
- 2017Sells an initial stake in Pilot to Berkshire Hathaway.
- 2023Berkshire raises its Pilot stake to about 80%; a valuation dispute erupts.
- 2024Settles the Berkshire litigation and sells the family's remaining Pilot stake, fully exiting the company.
Controversies
Pilot Flying J rebate fraud · 2013
A 2013 federal investigation found Pilot sales staff had cheated trucking customers out of promised fuel rebates; 17 former employees were convicted and Pilot paid roughly $92 million to the government plus civil settlements. Haslam was not charged and said he was unaware of the scheme.
Berkshire valuation dispute · 2024
In 2023-2024 the Haslam family and Berkshire Hathaway sued each other over Pilot's value, with Berkshire alleging Haslam offered 'side payments' to executives to inflate short-term earnings; the case settled before trial.
Browns stadium and public funding · 2024-2025
Haslam's plans for a new Cleveland Browns stadium have drawn debate over public subsidies and the use of taxpayer money for sports facilities.
Network
- Dee HaslamWife and business partnerCo-owner and CEO of Haslam Sports Group.
- Bill HaslamBrotherFormer two-term governor of Tennessee.
- Warren Buffett / Berkshire HathawayBuyer and former counterpartyAcquired Pilot in full after a contentious valuation fight.
- James A. Haslam IIFatherFounded the original Pilot truck-stop business in 1958.
Why this matters
For decades Haslam controlled a chokepoint of American freight: the fuel and travel centers that keep long-haul trucking moving. The rebate-fraud case showed how that market power could be turned against small trucking customers. Now that the fuel network sits inside Berkshire Hathaway, Haslam's leverage has shifted to sports franchises whose stadium deals often rely on public money, making his decisions a matter of taxpayer interest in the cities his teams call home.