Bill Haslam

Bill Haslam
Bill Haslam
Born	William Edward Haslam; August 23, 1958 (age 68); Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, politician
Known for	49th Governor of Tennessee, Mayor of Knoxville

William Edward Haslam (born August 23, 1958) is an American entrepreneur and political figure who held the office of the 49th Governor of Tennessee from 2011 through 2019. Affiliated with the Republican Party, Haslam previously served as Knoxville, Tennessee’s 67th mayor.

A native of Knoxville, Haslam earned his degree from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He launched his professional journey by joining his father, Jim Haslam, the founder of Pilot Corporation. During the 1990s, he assumed the presidency of Pilot after his brother Jimmy Haslam became CEO. Between 1999 and 2001, Haslam was chief executive of Saks Fifth Avenue’s e-commerce and catalog operations. Subsequently, he acted as a consultant for Saks and held a board position at Harold's Stores, Inc. Additionally, he co-owns the minor league baseball franchise Tennessee Smokies and is slated to become the majority owner of the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators by 2025.

Haslam first won election as Mayor of Knoxville in 2003 with 52% of votes and secured reelection in 2007 with an overwhelming 87%, remaining in office until 2011. Following Governor Phil Bredesen’s term limit, Haslam ran for governor in 2009. He captured the Republican nomination with 47%, surpassing U.S. Representative Zach Wamp and Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey, then defeated Democratic candidate Mike McWherter by a margin of 65% in the 2010 general election.

According to a 2015 Forbes report, Haslam’s net worth was approximately $2 billion, ranking him as the wealthiest elected official nationwide at that time. He maintained this status until Democrat JB Pritzker assumed Illinois governorship in January 2019.

In the fall of 2019, Haslam accepted a position as a visiting professor in political science at Vanderbilt University.

Early life, education, and business career

Born in Knoxville in 1958, Haslam is the third child of Jim Haslam, founder of Pilot Company, which operates the convenience store and travel center chain Pilot Flying J, and Cynthia (Allen) Haslam. Jim Haslam has been a prominent Republican fundraiser as well as a donor and trustee for the University of Tennessee.

Haslam attended the Webb School of Knoxville, where he participated actively in the Christian organization Young Life. He graduated from Emory University in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in history and is affiliated with the Beta Chi chapter of the Sigma Chi International Fraternity.

During his teenage years, Haslam worked part-time within his father’s business. Initially intending to pursue a career teaching history and enter ministry work, he returned to Knoxville after college to join Pilot Corporation and ultimately chose to continue his path in business. In 1995, he was appointed president of Pilot Corporation while his brother Jimmy Haslam served as CEO and their father held the chairman role.

In 1999, Haslam took on the role of CEO for Saks Fifth Avenue’s e-commerce and catalog division. After departing Saks in 2001, he joined the board of Dallas-based apparel retailer Harold's Stores Inc. later that year.

Haslam also holds partial ownership of the minor league baseball team Tennessee Smokies, based in East Tennessee. His brother Jimmy acquired majority ownership of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns team in 2012.

Mayor of Knoxville

In 2002, Haslam declared his intention to run for Knoxville's mayoralty, a decision influenced by a discussion with then-Chattanooga mayor and future U.S. Senator Bob Corker. Although Knoxville’s mayoral contests are officially non-partisan, Haslam was widely recognized as a Republican. His challenger, Knox County commissioner Madeline Rogero, accused him of being controlled by oil interests and connected his family to controversies at the University of Tennessee—allegations Haslam dismissed as "petty, personal politics". On September 30, 2003, Haslam secured victory over Rogero with 52% of the vote to her 46%, and he was inaugurated in December of that year.

In 2006, drawing inspiration from Abraham Lincoln’s approach of appointing former opponents to key positions, Haslam named Rogero as director of community development. He successfully won reelection in 2007, capturing 87% of the vote against challengers Isa Infante and Mark Saroff.

Haslam’s time as mayor is distinguished by efforts in historic preservation, including rescuing the S&W Cafeteria, restoring the Bijou Theatre, and spearheading the development of the Regal Riviera cinema in downtown Knoxville. In recognition of his work in this area, President George W. Bush appointed him in 2008 to a four-year term on the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

Beyond preservation initiatives, Haslam encouraged both residential and commercial expansion in the downtown area through tax incentives and introduced a comprehensive master plan for revitalizing South Knoxville’s riverfront. This plan earned the Tennessee Chapter of the American Planning Association’s Outstanding Planning Award. Throughout his administration, Haslam adhered to a balanced budget strategy that resulted in doubling the city’s reserves during his initial term.

2010

On January 6, 2009, Haslam officially announced his bid for governor of Tennessee in the 2010 election. Between January and July 2009, his campaign amassed $3.9 million, outpacing Republican contenders Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey with $1.3 million and Congressman Zach Wamp with $1.2 million. On the Democratic side, businessman Mike McWherter led fundraising efforts with $650,000 at mid-year.

Haslam received endorsements from prominent figures including former U.S. Senator Howard Baker and Congressman Jimmy Duncan. The Tennessean highlighted Haslam’s edge attributed to Governor Phil Bredesen’s favorable pro-business reputation despite their party differences.

From July 2009 through January 2010, Haslam raised an additional $1.8 million; Ramsey collected $1.4 million; Wamp secured $1.37 million; and Gibbons raised $225,000. Democratic candidates included State Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle who raised $741,000, McWherter with $403,000, and McMillan who gathered $160,000.

Haslam centered his campaign on his leadership experience as mayor of Knoxville and president of Pilot Flying J. His opponents scrutinized his connections to Pilot amid accusations of price gouging following Hurricane Katrina and criticized his hesitance to fully disclose financial information.

On August 5, 2010, Haslam emerged victorious in the Republican primary with nearly 48% of votes cast, followed by Wamp at 29% and Ramsey at 22%. Mike McWherter won the Democratic nomination.

In the general election held on November 2, 2010, Haslam was elected governor with 65% support compared to McWherter’s 35%. This election also resulted in Republicans gaining control over both chambers of Tennessee’s legislature for the first time since 1869, establishing GOP dominance in state government.

2014

Haslam launched his campaign for re-election in 2014, securing the Republican primary with 88% of the votes cast. In the general election that November, he triumphed over Democratic candidate Charles Brown, obtaining more than 70% of the popular vote and winning in every county.

2011

During 2011, Haslam focused on generating employment opportunities and fostering sustainable economic development, with education reform and workforce training as secondary priorities. On June 16, he approved a $30.8 billion state budget—a reduction of 3.9% compared to the prior year—which included a 1.6% salary increase for state workers but eliminated over 1,300 jobs. This budget supported the establishment of Electrolux and Wacker Chemie manufacturing facilities near Memphis and Cleveland, respectively, and dedicated $10 million to the Memphis Research Consortium.

The initial budget proposal eliminated all state funding for Planned Parenthood; however, an unidentified lawmaker added an amendment restoring these funds, which Haslam committed to revisiting in 2012. Other significant laws signed by Haslam included repealing a Nashville ordinance that prohibited discrimination against LGBTQ individuals in municipal contracts, instituting a voter photo identification requirement aimed at fraud prevention, and replacing teachers’ collective bargaining rights with a "collaborative conferencing" system that circumvented the Tennessee Education Association.

Additional legislative actions involved tort reform that limited non-economic damages in civil litigation, removing enrollment caps on charter schools to allow expansion, and permitting college students to apply Hope Scholarship funds toward summer semester courses.

In October 2011, Haslam authorized a curfew at Legislative Plaza during Occupy Nashville demonstrations. Subsequent arrests for violating this curfew were dismissed by courts citing lack of legal authority. Haslam defended the measure on grounds of safety and sanitation concerns; however, opponents including the ACLU denounced it as a violation of civil liberties.

2012

The $31 billion budget bill signed by Haslam in 2012 featured $50 million in tax reductions, $560 million allocated for infrastructure projects, a 2.5% wage increase for state employees, and provisions to mitigate expected tuition increases at public colleges. In June, he eliminated Tennessee’s gift tax, lowered inheritance taxes, and reduced the sales tax applied to groceries. He also enacted the "Fast Track" legislation, which offers cash incentives to companies expanding or relocating operations within the state.

Following Haslam’s argument that the Adequate Yearly Progress metric unfairly categorized improving schools as failing, Tennessee secured a waiver from certain federal No Child Left Behind requirements. In May, he approved $37 million in grants for public schools and called for reforms in higher education aimed at boosting graduates in lucrative fields.

In March, legislation passed protecting educators who question scientific theories such as evolution and climate change. Haslam neither signed nor vetoed this bill; it became law despite criticism that it could allow teaching creationism alongside science. He acknowledged potential confusion but anticipated minimal impact on science curricula.

Haslam tasked his Health and Wellness Task Force with addressing obesity statewide and initiated the "Meth Stops Now" campaign to educate about methamphetamine dangers. In May, he signed laws targeting prescription drug misuse.

On April 24, Haslam enacted the Tennessee Excellence, Accountability and Management ("TEAM") Act to reform state employee recruitment and evaluation by prioritizing performance over seniority. This act streamlines hiring and dismissal processes within executive agencies, introduces merit-based pay increases, and grants veterans preference when qualifications are comparable.

In May, he approved legislation prohibiting sex education instructors from promoting "gateway sexual activity," intended to clarify abstinence messaging but criticized for ambiguous language. Other enacted laws included mandatory drug testing for welfare applicants, grants supporting retraining for displaced workers, and requiring Amazon.com to collect sales taxes on online purchases starting in 2014.

After the legislative session concluded in May, Haslam issued his first veto against a bill terminating Vanderbilt University’s "All Comers" policy that mandates religious student groups admit any student. Although opposing the policy himself, he declined to impose government regulation on private institutions.

In December 2012, Haslam announced Tennessee would not establish a state-operated health insurance exchange under the Affordable Care Act (commonly known as "Obamacare"), citing inadequate federal details regarding program costs and shifting proposals. He expressed doubt about the federal government’s implementation strategy.

2014

In April 2014, Haslam enacted legislation permitting the criminal prosecution of new mothers who consumed narcotics during pregnancy, categorizing it as assault. This statute drew criticism for disproportionately impacting women residing in impoverished rural regions with limited access to healthcare and addiction services. The inaugural prosecution under this law took place in July in Madisonville, Monroe County.

2016

In April 2016, Haslam exercised his veto power against a bill that sought to designate the Bible as Tennessee’s official state book. The measure, introduced by State Senator Steve Southerland (R-Morristown), successfully passed both legislative bodies but did not overcome Haslam’s veto.

Additionally, Haslam served on the 16-member committee tasked with selecting a new chancellor for the Tennessee Board of Regents and remained engaged in efforts to reform the Board pursuant to the FOCUS Act.

2017

In April 2017, Haslam authorized the IMPROVE Act, legislation designed to address Tennessee’s $10 billion backlog in highway infrastructure projects. The law lowered the sales tax on food from five percent to four percent, increased gasoline and diesel taxes by six and ten cents per gallon respectively, raised the natural gas tax by eight cents, augmented vehicle registration fees, and established a $100 annual fee for electric vehicles.

The following month, Haslam approved HB 1111/SB 1085 into law. This bill was met with condemnation from the Human Rights Campaign, which viewed it as an effort to challenge Obergefell v. Hodges and restrict same-sex marriage rights within Tennessee. Both the Tennessee ACLU and Tennessee Equality Project also criticized the legislation and Haslam’s endorsement.

Taxes and budget

Haslam advocates for a fiscally conservative budget emphasizing low taxation to create a favorable climate for businesses. While supporting reductions in spending, he critiqued Republicans for prioritizing government downsizing over enhancing operational efficiency, stressing the importance of maximizing taxpayer value.

Gun laws

Originally affiliated with the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition, Haslam departed in 2009 and aligned himself with the National Rifle Association. Although he pledged as a gubernatorial candidate to sign constitutional carry legislation, he ultimately opposed such measures during his tenure.

Abortion

Haslam maintains a pro-life position regarding abortion.

Education

During his governorship, Haslam championed education reforms that provide tuition-free higher education opportunities. Initiated in 2014, the Tennessee Promise program offers two years of free tuition at community or technical colleges for recent high school graduates. The Tennessee Reconnect program extends similar tuition-free access to most adults pursuing associate degrees or technical certifications. These programs were designed to improve workforce capabilities and attract business investment, integrating educational reform with economic growth strategies.

LGBT issues

Haslam opposes same-sex marriage but has affirmed he would not discriminate against gay employees. In May 2017, he signed legislation requiring that state laws and official documents be interpreted using the "natural and ordinary meaning" of words unless otherwise defined. This law complicates adoption processes for same-sex couples and aligns with socially conservative organizations such as the Family Action Council of Tennessee, which advocates for traditional family definitions in judicial settings. The LGBT advocacy group GLAAD criticized Haslam’s action, asserting that he "has now placed the future of the state’s economy and the well-being of the LGBTQ community in jeopardy."

Immigration laws

Haslam advocates for tougher measures to prevent businesses from hiring illegal immigrants and has expressed willingness to endorse legislation mandating law enforcement to verify the citizenship status of individuals arrested on suspicion of unlawful residency, should the legislature approve such a bill.

Other

On January 11, 2012, shortly after Mitt Romney's victory in the New Hampshire primary, Haslam publicly supported Romney's bid for the Republican nomination in the 2012 United States presidential election. Notably, Haslam's father played a role as Tennessee state co-chairman for Romney’s campaign.

In a 2013 discussion with Politico, Haslam referred to controversial laws—like the 2012 statute shielding educators who challenge the theory of evolution in classrooms—as "frustrating and a distraction," emphasizing that these issues were not primary concerns voiced by Tennesseans during his statewide engagements.

Additionally, Haslam approved legislation that eased regulations on high-interest payday lending within Tennessee.

Post-governorship

After Senator Lamar Alexander announced his retirement in 2020, there was speculation about Haslam entering the race for the vacant Senate seat; however, he opted not to run as of July 2019.

In June 2022, Haslam committed to acquiring majority ownership of the NHL's Nashville Predators through a multi-stage purchase. His brother, Jimmy Haslam, is co-owner of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns. Haslam finalized a deal with the existing ownership group led by Herbert Fritch and is scheduled to assume majority ownership by July 1, 2025.

In May 2023, U.S. Senator and 2024 presidential hopeful Tim Scott named Haslam as national co-chair for his campaign.

Personal life

Haslam met his spouse, Crissy Garrett, while attending Emory University; they wed in 1981 and have three children along with eight grandchildren. A practicing Presbyterian, he has been an active member of Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in Knoxville and currently attends Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville. Since 2011, Haslam has been serving on the Board of Trustees for Young Life.

Electoral history

Tennessee Governor Republican Primary Election, 2010
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Republican	Bill Haslam	343,817	47.40
Republican	Zach Wamp	211,735	29.19
Republican	Ron Ramsey	159,555	22.00

Tennessee Governor Election, 2010
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Republican	Bill Haslam	1,041,545	65.03
Democratic	Mike McWherter	529,851	33.08

Tennessee Governor Republican Primary Election, 2014
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Republican	Bill Haslam	570,997	87.68

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External links

Tennessee Governor Election, 2014
Party	Candidate	Votes	%
Republican	Bill Haslam	951,796	70.31
Democratic	Charles "Charlie" Brown	309,237	22.84