Who is Tennessee booster Jimmy Haslam? Taking a closer look at his contributions for the Volunteers

Jimmy Haslam has been an important contributor to the Tennessee Athletic Department over the years.

Haslam is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and his connection with the university has remained ever since. While at the university, he roomed with Bob Corker, who later became a U.S. Senator from Tennessee. He was involved in Corker’s senatorial campaign in 2012.

Jimmy Haslam owns a host of sports teams across the United States. These include the Cleveland Browns in the NFL, the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA and Columbus Crew in the MLS.

Aside from funding the University of Tennessee's athletic department, Jimmy Haslam played a role in making key decisions within the department. He helped find a replacement for Dave Hart as the athletic director of the Volunteers in 2017 alongside Peyton Manning.

Jimmy Haslam - Cleveland Browns owner

Haslam is also a donor to the University of Tennessee. One of his notable donations to the university was $40 million to the Haslam College of Business, UT’s business school named after his family, in August 2020.

“The University of Tennessee is a tremendous, world-class institution that continues to grow and advance to better serve its students and the community,” the Haslam family said in a statement.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to continue our commitment to the university through the Haslam College of Business and hope this gift will enrich the lives of students for generations to come,” they added.

Haslam also serves as the chairman of the board of the Pilot Flying J truck stop chain.