Pilot Flying J founder: Raid was 'second worst day of my life'

Thursday, September 5, 2013

photo Jim Haslam speaks during a charity event at Cherokee Country Club on April 11, 2013.

The founder of embattled truck-stop chain Pilot Flying J has given his first detailed remarks about the events surrounding a government raid of the Knoxville-based company.

In a Q-and-A released by Pilot, James A. Haslam II -- the founder of Pilot and father of current CEO Jimmy Haslam -- said he learned of the April 15 raid while on a bike ride in Hilton Head, S.C. Haslam said he was unable to reach his son, and then called CFO Mitch Steenrod, who was in Washington, D.C.

Haslam said his first thought was "what happened, why did it happen and how do we get the company back together?"

Read more at The Knoxville News Sentinel.