Gary Rollins Speaks His Mind

This month’s issue of PCT, the largest in our 27-year history, features an in-depth interview with one of the pest control industry’s most intriguing figures — Gary Rollins, president and chief operating officer of Orkin Pest Control.

Rollins, who rarely gives interviews and keeps a relatively low-profile at industry events, sat down with me in May for a 90-minute interview that covered a wide range of subjects ranging from the company’s long-term plans for growth to its frustrating search for a new president to lead the company dynamically into the next century. Before conducting the interview, I knew little about Gary Rollins, other than the fact that he grew up in the business — his father purchased Orkin in 1964 in the first documented leveraged buyout in U.S. business history — and he wasn’t particularly comfortable in the media spotlight. However, I found him to be relaxed and surprisingly candid throughout the interview, which took place at the company’s sprawling corporate headquarters building in Atlanta. After reading our cover story, which begins on page 48, I think you’ll agree that Gary Rollins not only wields considerable power in the marketplace, but is secure enough to speak his mind on a wide range of topics, including those of critical importance to both Orkin and the pest control industry.

As I mentioned previously, the October issue of PCT is the largest in our history, totaling an impressive 180 pages. And if you add in our 72-page Leadership Issue, Service Technician magazine and PCT Convention Extra, our readers will receive more than 300 pages of the most up-to-date news and information available in the pest control industry this month. Thank you to all those subscribers and advertisers who have made our industry-leading publications so successful this past year.

Polybagged with the October issue is our Annual Leadership Issue, sponsored by Zeneca Professional Products. This year’s edi-tion features a comprehensive look at a topic of critical importance to PCOs throughout the United States — how to grow the market for professional pest control services. The Leadership Issue also features profiles of 10 of the country’s most respected PCOs.

In addition to our Leadership Issue, we’ve published two other editorial supplements this month that are sure to generate considerable discussion in the marketplace. The first, “Distribution: A State of the Industry Report,” is a look at the challenges and opportunities facing distributors as they approach the new millennium. Sponsored by AgrEvo Environmental Health, this 24-page supplement provides insights into a segment of the industry that is often overlooked by PCOs, but provides a valuable — many would say essential — service to the industry.

The second editorial supplement, “Junk Science,” is an intriguing examination of a topic of paramount importance to pest control professionals. Sponsored by DowElanco, this 24-page supplement discusses the insidious effects of junk science on society and provides practical strategies for combatting this growing problem. So spend some “quality time ” with our entire stable of publications this month. You’ll be glad you did.