There is a new CEO at Pilot Co.
Adam Wright (top left) will officially join the company May 30—as will Joe Lillo (bottom left), who becomes the new CFO, Knoxville, Tennessee-based Pilot said. The two will replace Shameek Konar and Kevin Wills, respectively, who will be leaving after supporting the transition.
In a deal announced in October 2017, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway on Jan. 31, 2023, became the majority owner of Pilot Co., at 80%, and the Haslam family, which founded Pilot, retains 20%.
After Berkshire Hathaway became majority owners of Pilot Co., the company identified Wright and Lillo, longtime Berkshire Hathaway executives, for those key leadership roles “to deliver on the company’s long-term growth and vision plans,” the Omaha, Nebraska-based company said.
With more than 20 years of experience as a leader in the energy sector, Wright brings expertise in strategic planning and operational excellence, Pilot said. Wright, who joined Berkshire Hathaway in 1996 and has served in various executive management roles in the energy sector, most recently served as executive vice president of operations and COO for one of the nation’s largest combined natural gas and electric providers.
Lillo has been an integral part of the Berkshire Hathaway Energy family of businesses for more than 25 years, Pilot said, with expertise in enhancing financial controls, managing risk and driving responsible value creation.
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“Pilot Co. has become one of the most future-forward companies in our industry,” said Greg Abel, vice chair of non-insurance operations for Berkshire Hathaway. “Adam’s energy expertise, leadership and focus on customer satisfaction will help ensure Pilot Co. remains a pillar of North America’s transportation ecosystem for decades to come.”
“From the beginning of our journey together, Berkshire Hathaway recognized Pilot Co. as a strong business that was well-positioned for the long term and was backed by an innovative and hardworking team,” Abel continued. “I am confident Adam and Joe have a solid platform from which to propel the company forward.”
Wright said, “It's an honor to join the Pilot family and to lead such an influential company that has fueled millions of journeys over the past 65 years. Pilot remains focused on meeting the unique needs of our pro drivers, fleets, guests and team members while advancing a strong company strategy that positions us for the future.”
The Haslam family continues to be an integral part of the company with 20% ownership, and James A. Haslam II, founder of Pilot Co., and James A. “Jimmy” Haslam III are board members.
“I want to thank Shameek and Kevin for all that they have done for Pilot Co.,” Jimmy Haslam said. “They have been instrumental in leading our over 30,000 team members through several years of growth and innovation. While we express our utmost gratitude to them, I also want to welcome Adam, Joe and their families to Pilot Co. and to the Knoxville community.”
Pilot Co., a majority-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, has more than 800 retail and fueling locations and supplies more than 14 billion gallons of fuel per year to the market. Its Pilot and Flying J travel center network includes more than 750 locations in 44 states and six Canadian provinces with more than 790 restaurants, 75,000 truck parking spaces, 5,300 showers, 6,200 diesel lanes and truck maintenance and tire services with Southern Tire Mart at Pilot Flying J. The One9 Fuel Network connects a variety of fueling locations to provide smaller fleets and independent professional drivers with value, convenience, credit and perks.
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