H.T. Hackney Hires Former Vols Coach Pearl

SN STAFF

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Grocery wholesaler H.T. Hackney Co. here said Tuesday it has hired former University of Tennessee men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl as vice president of marketing effective Thursday, Sept. 1.

"I've known Bruce Pearl for years — his leadership, competitiveness and understanding of marketing is a great fit for our organization," said Bill Sansom, president and chief executive officer, H.T. Hackney.

Pearl coached the Volunteers for six seasons. He was fired in March after he admitted misleading National Collegiate Athletic Association investigators about potential recruiting violations, according to reports.

Pearl was a marketing and economic major at Boston College School of Management, H.T. Hackney said in a statement. He brings "freshness, enthusiasm and a strategic vision to the company," Sansom said.

"As a coach, I know the importance of being a team player," Pearl said in a prepared statement. "It is my goal to assist our sales and marketing staff to better serve our customers, vendors and to grow our business."

H.T. Hackney is a privately owned company with annual revenues of about $4 billion. In addition to its wholesale grocery operations (which include a potato chip company, a bottled water company and a food commissary), it also is in the gas and oil, and furniture manufacturing businesses.