Pilot Company CEO Joins Emerald Youth Foundation Board of Trustees
Adam Wright, chief executive officer of Pilot Company, is making a lasting impact in Knoxville as a business leader and dedicated community advocate, including now serving on Emerald Youth Foundation’s board of trustees.
Wright, who began his leadership role with Emerald Youth in January 2025, is deeply passionate about his and Pilot’s role in showing people they matter at every turn.
“Pilot is the great company it is today because of our incredible team members and guests. Our hometown of Knoxville has always been and will continue to be part of Pilot’s journey,” Wright said. “We know when we invest in our communities and lift people up, we’re helping to build a stronger, more vibrant future for everyone here.”
Pilot Company CEO and Emerald Youth Foundation board of trustees member Adam Wright.
As a longtime business executive who also played professional football for two years with the New York Giants, Wright took the helm as Pilot’s CEO in 2023 and understands the value of mentorship, discipline and service. His leadership philosophy, which is rooted in faith, family and people-centered strategies, aligns with Emerald Youth Foundation’s mission to ensure every child in every Knoxville neighborhood has the opportunity to live a full life.
For more than three decades, Emerald Youth Foundation has been serving young people and their families through programs and outcomes based on faith, learning and health. The impact of organizations like Emerald Youth is made possible through strong community partnerships. Companies like Pilot play a critical role in bridging the gap between resources and opportunity, ensuring that young people in Knoxville have access to the tools they need to succeed.
"Giving back to the community isn’t just important to Pilot, it’s personal to me," Wright said. "I am grateful to be part of Emerald Youth and the difference it’s making with thousands of young people in Knoxville. I especially appreciate Emerald’s faith-centered focus. Surrendering my life to Christ was the most important decision I ever made, and being connected with Emerald is a small way I can continue serving the Lord.”
Pilot has a longstanding partnership with Emerald Youth Foundation, investing in programs that provide educational resources, mentorship opportunities and faith-based development for Knoxville’s youth. Through financial support, volunteer efforts and fostering other partnerships within the community, Pilot’s team members have played a key role in promoting a brighter future for young people in Knoxville and beyond.
“Adam’s leadership reflects the values that are most important to us at Emerald Youth,” said Steve Diggs, president and CEO of Emerald Youth Foundation. “His commitment to building relationships, his faith and his dedication to service make him a powerful advocate for the next generation in our city.”
Pilot’s ongoing collaboration with Emerald Youth Foundation exemplifies the power of businesses stepping beyond their corporate roles to become active, engaged community leaders. When companies like Pilot prioritize giving and volunteering, they create a ripple effect that strengthens families, schools, neighborhoods and the city at large.
"Strong community partnerships create lasting change," said Diggs. "When businesses and individuals come together with a shared vision, we can open doors of opportunity. Pilot has been a faithful partner in this work, and we are grateful for their leadership in helping build a stronger Knoxville."
# # #
About Emerald Youth Foundation
Emerald Youth Foundation (“Emerald”) is a Christian, urban youth ministry serving more than 3,300 children, teens and young adults each year in the heart of Knoxville, Tennessee. Emerald’s vision is expressed in John 10:10: “I came that they may have life and have it to the full.” This motivates Emerald and gives shape to decisions about the ministry’s work in city neighborhoods. Emerald’s mission is to raise up a large number of urban youth to love Jesus Christ and become effective leaders who help renew their communities. Since 1991, Emerald has worked to support Knoxville’s young people and families and prepare generations of Godly community leaders. Emerald aims to help young people develop along a trajectory that includes life-giving outcomes in faith, learning and health; developing into and becoming community leaders; and securing gainful employment in work that allows them to provide for themselves and their families. For more information, visit emeraldyouth.org.
About Pilot Company
Pilot Travel Centers LLC ("Pilot Company" or “Pilot”) is committed to showing people they matter at every turn as the leading energy and experience provider people rely on to fuel their journeys. Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway and employs approximately 30,000 team members. As the largest network of travel centers, Pilot has nearly 900 locations in 44 states and five Canadian provinces, serving an average of 1.2 million guests per day. In addition to travel center services, Pilot and its partners offer trucking fleets a variety of solutions for fuel, credit, factoring, maintenance and rewards. The company operates North America's third largest fuel tanker fleet and supplies approximately 12 billion gallons of fuel per year. Pilot is shaping the future of energy as one of the largest providers of biodiesel and renewable fuels and through the development of its EV charging network and low carbon fueling alternatives. For additional information about Pilot, visit pilotflyingj.com.