Susan "Dee" Haslam is an American businesswoman, and the Founder and executive producer of the RIVR Media Companies. Dee is a co-owner of the Cleveland Browns, along with her husband, Jimmy Haslam. The Haslams are majority investors in the ownership group of Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew SC. Dee is the CEO of the Haslam Sports Group. She is also part of the family ownership group of the Travel Center company Pilot Flying J.
Early life and education
Haslam is the daughter of Ross Bagwell Sr., and Sue Burchfield Bagwell. Ross Bagwell is a pioneer in cable television, having produced thousands of hours of programming. He built one of the largest privately held production companies in the United States before selling to Scripps Howard in 1994. Dee was raised on Long Island in her early years while her father attended NYU and worked for NBC. Upon returning to Knoxville, she completed her elementary school at Bearden Elementary and then middle school at Cedar Bluff. She attended Farragut High School for one year before transferring to Webb School of Knoxville, where she was a classmate with Jimmy Haslam. Dee studied violin, was a girl scout, and participated in sports and clubs in high school. She and her brother, Ross, were very close growing up and later worked together in the family business. Ross Bagwell Jr. died in 2008. After graduating from Webb, Haslam attended The University of Tennessee, graduating with a B.S. in Education. She also minored in art and still paints as a hobby. In the spring of 1976, Dee and Jimmy began dating, and they married on December 11, 1976. They worked alongside each other in their respective family businesses throughout their careers. Partnering on finding store locations, business transactions, and major challenges. In 2012, they bought the Cleveland Browns and began their working together in earnest.
Career
At 17, Haslam began working for her father at Bagwell Advertising, answering the phone. As her father began to grow the production company, Cinetel Productions, she also worked on the production projects. While at Bagwell Communications, she was an account executive. In 1994, when the company was sold to Scripps Howard, Dee left along with her father and brother to form a new company: Bagwell Entertainment/Ross Television Productions. In 1998, Dee and Rob Lundgren partnered to acquire Ross Television Productions and launch RIVR Media. Lori Stryer joined Dee and Rob as a partner a few years later. Together they have produced such hits as Trading Spaces for TLC, Whale Wars for Animal Planet, and Renovation Realities for HGTV and DIY Network, and Escaping Polygamy for A&E. Haslam is also senior executive for RIVR Digital and Nest Features. Haslam is a member of The Academy of Television Art and Sciences, the International Women's Forum, C200, and the Society of International Business Fellows, She serves of the Executive board of directors of The United Way of Greater Cleveland, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The University Hospitals, Emerald Youth Foundation, Lakeshore Park, and the University of Tennessee Haslam College of Business Advisory Council. In May 2017, she was appointed to the Board of ExcelinEd., President of the Cleveland Browns Foundation, the Unify Project, and Cleveland Orchestra. As part of the NFL, Dee serves on the Legislative Committee, Conduct Committee, and Social Justice Committee. She and Jimmy received the Tank Younger Award from the Fritz Pollard Alliance for having built one of the most diverse front offices in all of sports.
Haslam is married to James A. Haslam III. They have two daughters Whitney Haslam Johnson and Cynthia Haslam Arnholt and 5 grandchildren. She has a son James E. Oakley from previous marriage. They reside in Tennessee and Ohio.
