Gary Rollins
Gary W. Rollins | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 30, 1944 |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, CEO |
| Known for | CEO of Rollins, Inc. |
Gary W. Rollins (born August 30, 1944) is a prominent American entrepreneur and billionaire who serves as the chief executive officer of Rollins, Inc., recognized as the leading pest control firm in the United States.
Early life
Born to O. Wayne Rollins and Grace Crum Rollins, Gary completed his Bachelor of Business Administration degree at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1967.
Career
Rollins held the position of CEO at Orkin until July 2009 and has been its chairman since February 2004. Since July 2001, he has been at the helm of Rollins Inc. as its CEO. Furthermore, he is a member of the board of directors for RPC, Inc.
In 2024, Bloomberg listed him as the 430th wealthiest individual globally, with an estimated net worth of US$6.35 billion.
Political activity
Gary Rollins made a political contribution of $25,000 to Donald Trump's 2020 presidential bid.
Personal life
Together with his first spouse, Ruth Magness, Rollins owned an expansive ranch spanning 1,800 acres near Cartersville, Georgia. The couple has four children: Glen Rollins, Ruth Ellen Rollins, Nancy Louise Rollins, and O. Wayne Rollins II.
A legal dispute arose when Glen Rollins filed a lawsuit against his father and uncle Randall Rollins, chairman of Rollins Inc., concerning "entitlement to cash distributions." Glen's mother Ruthie—who sought a divorce from Gary around the same period—and his siblings also participated in the suit. Randall's five children sided with both their father and Gary. Glen and his wife Danielle initiated divorce proceedings as well. After nearly ten years of litigation, a confidential settlement was reached in November 2019 just prior to closing arguments. Throughout this conflict, Gary maintained that his decisions were consistent with the vision of his father, O. Wayne Rollins, emphasizing stewardship of the family legacy and prudent management of their considerable assets. The family's pest control enterprise is valued at approximately $14.2 billion.
Gary's current wife is Kathleen (Wingard) Rollins.
In June 2018, Gary and Kathleen made a $40 million donation to his alma mater, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following this gift, the College of Business was renamed in his honor as the Gary W. Rollins College of Business.