Rollins Board Approves 2023 CEO Succession Plan

ATLANTA — Rollins Inc. announced today that its board of directors has unanimously approved the company's long-term leadership succession plan.

Effective Jan. 1, 2023, the company's current president and chief operating officer, Jerry Gahlhoff Jr., is expected to become Rollins' president and chief executive officer. Gary W. Rollins, current chairman and chief executive officer, is expected to remain as chairman of the board of directors. 

In preparation for the expected promotion, Gahlhoff — a 2003 PCT 40 Under 40 honoree and 2018 PCT Crown Leadership Award winner — will spend the next five months working on the transition with Rollins and John Wilson, vice chairman.

"I've had the pleasure of supporting the company and our pest control business for over 56 years and am fortunate to have had the opportunity to lead this great organization," said Rollins, a 1998 PCT Crown Leadership Award winner. "I look forward to Jerry's advancement and my continuation as chairman of the board. I am extremely pleased with our succession plan and our outstanding leadership team."

Gahlhoff joined Rollins during the company's 2008 acquisition of HomeTeam, where he served in a variety of leadership roles, including president. He was named president and COO of Rollins in 2020 and joined the board of directors in 2021.

"Jerry is an exceptional leader, with great vision and a deep understanding of our industry and our customers," Rollins said. "His years of service have been marked by outstanding performance, most recently as our president and COO. Jerry has had the unique opportunity to be intimately involved in most every facet of our organization. I have the utmost confidence he will continue to build on the strong heritage of our organization and its track record."

Gahlhoff said, "I am deeply honored to be named incoming CEO and look forward to leading this great organization into our next phase of growth and achievement. I am confident that the solid foundation Gary and others have created over the years — grounded in our culture of providing excellent customer service and business expansion — will serve us for years to come. Our entire organization is grateful for Gary's leadership, and I know we will continue to benefit from his vision and guidance as our chairman."