Cleveland Browns’ owner returns to his former post in the c-store/travel center industry. 

Having recently put new leadership in place at the Cleveland Browns, Jimmy Haslam is set to return to the helm of his family-owned company, Pilot Flying J, in Knoxville, Tenn, Cleveland.com reported.

Haslam will regain his position as CEO of the company founded by his father. John Compton, hired to replace Haslam, is merging into the newly-created role of “strategic adviser” to Pilot Flying J, the Cleveland Browns and the Haslam family.

Compton, the former president of PepsiCo, was hired in September as Pilot Flying J’s chief executive, allowing Haslam to focus on the NFL football team he acquired last summer for a reported $1 billion. Compton is comfortable with his new role, according to the company statement, and looks forward to assisting the Cleveland Browns.

“This is about me realizing my first love is running Pilot Flying J and wanting to return to that job,” Haslam told the Knoxville News Sentinel.

“We have had the good fortune of working with John (Compton) over the past five months at Pilot Flying J,” Haslam said in a statement. “During this same period, we have completed the acquisition of the Cleveland Browns and Pilot Logistic Services (formerly known as Maxum Petroleum). We have made meaningful changes in both of these organizations, hiring Joe Banner as CEO of the Browns and promoting David Hughes to president of Pilot Logistic Services.”

“Given John’s broader role across our companies, I am very excited to re-assume the CEO role of Pilot Flying J, and look forward to working alongside our 25,000 team members in continuing to take great care of our customers, employees and shareholders,” the statement said.