Pilot Company and Haslam family donate $5 million to build new Emergency Department at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital

Stephanie Myers, Manager, Media and Public Relations

Pilot Company and the Haslam family have donated $5 million to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital to renovate the Emergency Department at the hospital’s main campus on Clinch Avenue in downtown Knoxville. The facility will be named Pilot Emergency Care Center, in honor of past, present and future Pilot Company team members and their families.

In a statement, the Haslam family said: “East Tennessee Children’s Hospital is a beacon of hope in our community. The new Emergency Department will enhance the offerings and efficiency of the world-class children’s hospital in the heart of Knoxville, as well as provide improved comfort and amenities to families seeking treatment. We are grateful to partner with East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in setting the standard for pediatric emergency medical care in our region.”

The donation represents gifts from Pilot Company; Natalie and Jim Haslam; Dee and Jimmy Haslam; Crissy and Bill Haslam; and Ann and Steve Bailey.

More than 60,000 injured and sick children come through the Children’s Hospital Emergency Department (ED) every year. The new ED will feature a dedicated behavioral health care section, providing safe spaces for patients receiving treatment or awaiting inpatient placement. Sensory-sensitive rooms also will be available.

Additional ED enhancements will include dedicated trauma rooms and an expanded lobby to safely separate sick and injured patients and create a comforting, inviting space for children. All exam, treatment and meeting areas will provide increased privacy for patients and families.

“For decades, Children’s Hospital has been investing in ways to serve the Knoxville community, the East Tennessee region and beyond,” East Tennessee Children’s Hospital President and CEO Matt Schaefer said. “The reimagination of the Emergency Department is just another example of that.  I am proud to be part of an organization that runs to where the need is, and humbled to have the backing of the Pilot Company and Haslam family in this effort. The children of this region and their families will be the beneficiaries of that generosity for years to come in the Pilot Emergency Care Center.”

Children’s Hospital has been in operation since 1937 and offers a wide range of medical care and subspecialties for seriously ill children in a unique pediatric environment. The ED renovation also will increase efficiency and patient flow, such as relocating ambulance bays and creating separate patient intake and exit areas. The ED will implement new systems to enhance communications, such as texting families with information and next steps to help efficiently advance through the medical care process. The full renovation is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2021.

To learn more about Pilot Company and its longstanding commitment to giving back, visit pilotcompany.com/about. For more information about Children’s Hospital, visit www.etch.com, or to make a donation to support the facilities, services and care the hospital provides to families across the region, go to www.etch.com/ways-to-give/make-a-donation.

# # #

About Pilot Company

Pilot Company keeps North America’s drivers moving as one of the leading suppliers of fuel and the largest operator of travel centers. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot Company supplies more than 11 billion gallons of fuel per year and has an industry-leading network of more than 950 retail and fueling locations that offer a variety of products, amenities and innovative solutions to make road travel easier. The Pilot Flying J travel center network includes locations in 44 states and six Canadian provinces with more than 680 restaurants, 74,000 truck parking spaces, 5,300 deluxe showers, 6,200 diesel lanes and 34 Truck Care service centers. The One9 Fuel Network provides fleets and professional drivers with more places to stop at a variety of fueling locations. Pilot Company’s energy division supplies fuel, DEF, bio and renewables and provides hauling and disposal services as the third largest tanker fleet in North America.

Pilot Company is currently ranked No. 10 on Forbes’ list of America’s Largest Private Companies. More information on locations and amenities are available on the Pilot Flying J app. For additional information about Pilot Company and its commitment to team members and giving back, visit www.pilotcompany.com.

About East Tennessee Children’s Hospital

East Tennessee Children’s Hospital’s vision is Leading the Way to Healthy Children. Children’s Hospital is a private, independent, not-for-profit pediatric medical center which has served the East Tennessee region for more than 80 years and is certified by the state of Tennessee as a Comprehensive Regional Pediatric Center.