Bill Haslam | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Haslam in 2014 | |
| 49th Governor of Tennessee | |
| In office January 15, 2011 – January 19, 2019 | |
| Lieutenant | Ron Ramsey Randy McNally |
| Preceded by | Phil Bredesen |
| Succeeded by | Bill Lee |
| Chair of the Republican Governors Association | |
| In office November 16, 2017 – November 29, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Scott Walker |
| Succeeded by | Pete Ricketts |
| 67th Mayor of Knoxville | |
| In office December 20, 2003 – January 10, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Victor Ashe |
| Succeeded by | Madeline Rogero |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Edward Haslam August 23, 1958 Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Emory University (BA) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Government website |
William Edward Haslam[1] (/ˈhæzləm/; born August 23, 1958) is an American billionaire businessman and politician who served as the 49th governor of Tennessee from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, Haslam previously served as the 67th mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee.
He was born in Knoxville and graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He began his career in business, joining his father, Jim Haslam, who was the founder of Pilot Corporation. Haslam rose to president of Pilot Corp in the 1990s, after his brother Jimmy Haslam became the company's CEO. Haslam then left Pilot and from 1999 to 2001 was the CEO of the e-commerce and cataloging division at the department store chain Saks Fifth Avenue. He then became a consultant at Saks and later served on the board of directors at Harold's Stores, Inc. He is a co-owner of a minor league baseball team, the Tennessee Smokies, and is set to become majority owner of the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators by 2025.
He was elected Mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee in the 2003 Knoxville mayoral election with 52% of the vote. He was reelected in the 2007 Knoxville mayoral election, winning 87% of the vote, and served until 2011. After incumbent Governor Phil Bredesen was term-limited, Haslam declared his candidacy for the office in January 2009. He defeated U.S. Representative Zach Wamp and Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey in the Republican primary with 47% of the vote and went on to defeat Democratic businessman Mike McWherter with 65% of the vote in the 2010 general election.
A 2015 Forbes article estimated Haslam's net worth at $2 billion, making him the nation's wealthiest elected official at that time.[2] He was the wealthiest state governor in America, until Democrat J. B. Pritzker of Illinois took office in January 2019.[3][4]
In the fall of 2019, Haslam became a visiting professor of political science at Vanderbilt University.[5]
- ^ "Knoxville News Sentinel profile on Haslam". Knoxnews.com. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
- ^ Alexander, Dan (21 January 2015). "Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam Is New Billionaire, Richest Politician In America". Forbes. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- ^ "Governors' races have become contests between bajillionaires". The Economist. 19 October 2017.
- ^ "Pritzker takes over as Illinois governor". WIFR. January 14, 2019. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
- ^ Ebert, Joel. "Former Gov. Bill Haslam, historian Jon Meacham to teach Vanderbilt University course on leadership". The Tennessean.