William Edward “Bill” Haslam /ˈhæzləm/ (born August 23, 1958) is an American politician and businessman who is the 49th and current Governor of Tennessee. A member of the Republican Party, Haslam was elected Governor in 2010 and was sworn in on January 15, 2011.
Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Haslam is a graduate of Emory University. 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 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, served on the board of directors at Harold’s Stores, Inc. and still remains a co-owner of the minor league baseball team the Tennessee Smokies.
Entering a career in politics, Haslam was elected mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee in 2003 with 52% of the vote. He was reelected in 2007, winning 87% of the vote, and served until 2011. After incumbent Governor Phil Bredesen was term-limited Haslam declared his candidacy for Governor in January 2009. He defeated 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 general election. A 2015 Forbes article estimated Haslam’s net worth at $2 billion, making him the nation’s richest elected official at that time.
| Bill Haslam | |
|---|---|
| 49th Governor of Tennessee | |
|
Incumbent
|
|
| Assumed office January 15, 2011 |
|
| Lieutenant | Ron Ramsey Randy McNally |
| Preceded by | Phil Bredesen |
| Mayor of Knoxville | |
| In office December 20, 2003 – January 10, 2011 |
|
| Preceded by | Victor Ashe |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Brown (Acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Edward Haslam August 23, 1958 Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Crissy Garrett |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Governor’s Mansion |
| Education | Emory University (BA) |
Source:wikipedia