This article is about the petroleum company. For other uses, see Pilot.

Pilot Corporation (or simply Pilot) is a petroleum corporation in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Pilot also owns many convenience stores and truck stop style travel centers around the country.

[edit] History

Pilot Corporation was founded by James Haslam Jr. in 1958 in Gate City, Virginia when he purchased an existing gasoline station. By 1965, Pilot owned 12 stations, and was selling 5 million gallons of fuel yearly. Pilot built its first convenience store in 1976, and converted the rest of its locations into convenience stores.

In 1981, Pilot built its first travel center, and has focused on that aspect of its business ever since. 1988 saw Pilot begin its concentration on expanding its travel center network in a nationwide presence. Also in 1988, Pilot opened its first travel center with a fast food restaurant inside. On September 1, 2001, Pilot and Marathon Petroleum Company formed Pilot Travel Centers, LLC.

[edit] Investigation of price gouging

On September 14, 2008, Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum issued subpoenas to Pilot for investigation of price gouging in the days following Hurricane Ike.^[1]

[edit] Sports sponsorship

[edit] NASCAR

In 1998, Pilot sponsored Gary Bradberry and Triad Motorsports in NASCAR. This venture was short lived, however, ending in 1999.

[edit] Pittsburgh Steelers

In 2008, Pilot president Jim Haslam III, son of founder Jim Haslam Jr., purchased a 16% stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers as part of the team's ownership restructuring due to some members of the Rooney family becoming increasingly involved in gambling, violating NFL rules.^[2] It is not known at this time if it will lead to a sponsorship deal between the two at Pittsburgh-area Pilot Travel Centers locations (especially with the Steelers being among the most popular teams in the NFL, if not professional sports), or possibly a sponsorship deal with the NFL in general nationwide. The Rooney family will retain control of the franchise itself.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Pilot Travel Centers, LLC
• Marathon Petroleum Company, LLC