John W. Rollins
Encyclopedia
John W. Rollins was an American businessman and politician from Greenville in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Republican Party, and served as the 14th Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
.
, Georgia. He attended school in a one-room schoolhouse nine miles away in Ringgold
, Georgia. In 1928, Rollins’s father fell ill and the 12-year-old boy accepted additional responsibilities on the family farm. Although he worked hard to help his mother provide for the family he had an entrepreneurial spirit and tried his hand at an early age selling door to door with things such as bedspreads. In the aftermath of the great depression, he left the family farm in Ringgold and moved to Philadelphia. His career was a series of entrepreurial ventures ultimately ending up with the formation of 9 NYSE firms and countless other business ventures. He had a great mind for business and an unstoppable positive attitude.
He was married three times, to Kitty, Linda Kuechler, and Michele Metrinko
, and had ten children including John W., Jr., James, Catherine, Patrick, Ted, Jeff, Michele, Monique, Michael and Marc, as well as eleven grandchildren, John III, Jamie, Fontayne, Charlie, Rachel, Katie, Sarah, Emma, Kaitlyn, William, and Morgan.
, Delaware where he opened a Ford dealership. Rollins aggressively expanded his business by buying other dealerships in Maryland and Virginia. During this time, he also began to pioneer of the concept of leasing automobiles.
In 1947, Rollins’ older brother, O. Wayne Rollins, moved to Lewes from Georgia and joined him in the business in Delaware. The following year, the brothers founded Rollins Broadcasting and bought 1460 WRAD, an AM radio station based in the rural town of [Radford, Virginia]. As television continued to intrude on the traditional radio market, Rollins Broadcasting took advantage of falling radio station prices by increasing its holdings and launching programming targeted toward African-Americans. Rollins then developed a coordinated approach to advertising by buying billboards that allowed him to offer clients multiple advertising venues for their products. In 1956, Rollins Broadcasting expanded its business into television.
In 1961 John and Wayne Rollins took their company public. Over the next three years, annual profits from the company exceeded $9 million. In 1964, they used the proceeds of their public offering to orchestrate the $60 million leveraged buyout of the Atlanta-based Orkin Exterminating Company
. Due to the constantly diversifying interests of the business, the company was renamed Rollins, Inc. By 1967, stock in the company was trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
In addition to this, John was a pioneer in the automobile leasing business. He started what would later become Rollins Truck Leasing. Also during this time he acquired Matlack Systems, the country's largest bulk trucking company, and started Rollins Purle which later became Rollins Environmental. All three companies ultimately ended up trading on the New York Stock exchange.
By 1984, the interests of Rollins, Inc. had become so diverse that the company spun off two new companies, Rollins Communications and RPC Energy Services, Inc., both of which were traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
In addition to this, Rollins founded and grew both Dover Motorsports as well as Dover Entertainment and took them public on the New York Stock Exchange.
Although he received many awards including the knights of Malta, The Golden Plate Award, and was inducted into the Delware Sports Hall of Fame to name a few, perhaps his most prized acknowledgement was in 1963, when he was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. They honored Rollins’ rise from humble roots to preeminence in the world of business with their Horatio Alger Award. Rollins worked hard in the Horatio Alger Association to help make it into what it is today where it is the largest privately funded scholarship in the USA for underpriveldged college students. His legacy is continued by his children and his wife Michele.
that nominated President Dwight D. Eisenhower
for reelection.
In the 1960 elections, Rollins ran for Governor of Delaware and defeated his primary opponent, incumbent Lieutenant Governor David P. Buckson. However, he was defeated in the general election by Democrat Elbert N. Carvel
, a former Governor of Delaware.
, despite never having attended the school himself.
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Public Offices
|-
! Office
! Type
! Location
! Began office
! Ended office
! notes
|-
|Lt. Governor
|Executive
|Dover
|January 20, 1953
|January 15, 1957
|
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
|-
| Year
| Office
|
| Subject
| Party
| Votes
| %
|
| Opponent
| Party
| Votes
| %
|-
|1952
|Lt. Governor
|
| |John W. Rollins
| |Republican
| |86,622
| |51%
|
| |Vernon B. Derrickson
| |Democratic
| |83,300
| |49%
|-
|1960
|Governor
|
| |John W. Rollins
| |Republican
| |94,043
| |48%
|
| |Elbert N. Carvel
| |Democratic
| |100,792
| |52%
Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
The Lieutenant Governor of Delaware is the second ranking executive officer of the U.S. state of Delaware. Lieutenant Governors are elected for a term of four years in the same general election as the U.S. President and take office the following January....
.
Early life and family
John W. Rollins was born in Keith, Catoosa CountyCatoosa County, Georgia
Catoosa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 5, 1853. As of 2000, the population was 53,282. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 62,241...
, Georgia. He attended school in a one-room schoolhouse nine miles away in Ringgold
Ringgold, Georgia
Ringgold is a city in Catoosa County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,422 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Catoosa County...
, Georgia. In 1928, Rollins’s father fell ill and the 12-year-old boy accepted additional responsibilities on the family farm. Although he worked hard to help his mother provide for the family he had an entrepreneurial spirit and tried his hand at an early age selling door to door with things such as bedspreads. In the aftermath of the great depression, he left the family farm in Ringgold and moved to Philadelphia. His career was a series of entrepreurial ventures ultimately ending up with the formation of 9 NYSE firms and countless other business ventures. He had a great mind for business and an unstoppable positive attitude.
He was married three times, to Kitty, Linda Kuechler, and Michele Metrinko
Michele Rollins
Michele Rollins was a candidate for the Republican Party nomination for the United States House of Representatives election in 2010, in Delaware's At-large congressional district, a race she narrowly lost to Glen Urquhart...
, and had ten children including John W., Jr., James, Catherine, Patrick, Ted, Jeff, Michele, Monique, Michael and Marc, as well as eleven grandchildren, John III, Jamie, Fontayne, Charlie, Rachel, Katie, Sarah, Emma, Kaitlyn, William, and Morgan.
Professional career
After World War II, Rollins and his wife Kitty moved to LewesLewes, Delaware
Lewes is an incorporated city in Sussex County, Delaware, USA, on the Delmarva Peninsula. According to the 2010 census, the population is 2,747, a decrease of 6.3% from 2000....
, Delaware where he opened a Ford dealership. Rollins aggressively expanded his business by buying other dealerships in Maryland and Virginia. During this time, he also began to pioneer of the concept of leasing automobiles.
In 1947, Rollins’ older brother, O. Wayne Rollins, moved to Lewes from Georgia and joined him in the business in Delaware. The following year, the brothers founded Rollins Broadcasting and bought 1460 WRAD, an AM radio station based in the rural town of [Radford, Virginia]. As television continued to intrude on the traditional radio market, Rollins Broadcasting took advantage of falling radio station prices by increasing its holdings and launching programming targeted toward African-Americans. Rollins then developed a coordinated approach to advertising by buying billboards that allowed him to offer clients multiple advertising venues for their products. In 1956, Rollins Broadcasting expanded its business into television.
In 1961 John and Wayne Rollins took their company public. Over the next three years, annual profits from the company exceeded $9 million. In 1964, they used the proceeds of their public offering to orchestrate the $60 million leveraged buyout of the Atlanta-based Orkin Exterminating Company
Orkin
Orkin is a pest-control company that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rollins Inc.-The Orkin Uniform:The most recognized Orkin uniform consists of a white collared shirt with the Orkin logo and red epaulets and pressed khaki pants. The uniform varies depending on an employee’s job function for...
. Due to the constantly diversifying interests of the business, the company was renamed Rollins, Inc. By 1967, stock in the company was trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
In addition to this, John was a pioneer in the automobile leasing business. He started what would later become Rollins Truck Leasing. Also during this time he acquired Matlack Systems, the country's largest bulk trucking company, and started Rollins Purle which later became Rollins Environmental. All three companies ultimately ended up trading on the New York Stock exchange.
By 1984, the interests of Rollins, Inc. had become so diverse that the company spun off two new companies, Rollins Communications and RPC Energy Services, Inc., both of which were traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
In addition to this, Rollins founded and grew both Dover Motorsports as well as Dover Entertainment and took them public on the New York Stock Exchange.
Although he received many awards including the knights of Malta, The Golden Plate Award, and was inducted into the Delware Sports Hall of Fame to name a few, perhaps his most prized acknowledgement was in 1963, when he was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. They honored Rollins’ rise from humble roots to preeminence in the world of business with their Horatio Alger Award. Rollins worked hard in the Horatio Alger Association to help make it into what it is today where it is the largest privately funded scholarship in the USA for underpriveldged college students. His legacy is continued by his children and his wife Michele.
Political career
Because of his roots in the business community, Rollins became interested in Delaware’s Republican Party, and worked as a fund raiser for Republicans running for local, state, and federal office in Delaware and beyond. He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Delaware in 1952, defeating Democrat Vernon B. Derrickson of Kent County and served from January 20, 1953 to January 15, 1957. In 1956, Rollins was an alternate delegate to the Republican National ConventionRepublican National Convention
The Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
that nominated President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
for reelection.
In the 1960 elections, Rollins ran for Governor of Delaware and defeated his primary opponent, incumbent Lieutenant Governor David P. Buckson. However, he was defeated in the general election by Democrat Elbert N. Carvel
Elbert N. Carvel
Elbert Nostrand "Bert" Carvel was an American businessman and politician from Laurel, in Sussex County, Delaware...
, a former Governor of Delaware.
Philanthropy
In addition to his leadership in business and politics, Rollins became one of the principal philanthropists in Delaware. In addition to contributing to multiple charities, he created the John W. Rollins Foundation, rated in 1999 to be one of the 50 largest charitable organizations in Delaware. He sponsored the John W. Rollins, Sr. Award for health care philanthropy, and was a benefactor of the University of DelawareUniversity of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
, despite never having attended the school himself.
Death
Rollins died in his office suite at the Rollins Building in Wilmington, Delaware. There is a portrait of him hanging at Legislative Hall in the state capitol of Dover.{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Public Offices
|-
! Office
! Type
! Location
! Began office
! Ended office
! notes
|-
|Lt. Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
The Lieutenant Governor of Delaware is the second ranking executive officer of the U.S. state of Delaware. Lieutenant Governors are elected for a term of four years in the same general election as the U.S. President and take office the following January....
|Executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
|Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
|January 20, 1953
|January 15, 1957
|
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
|-
| Year
| Office
|
| Subject
| Party
| Votes
| %
|
| Opponent
| Party
| Votes
| %
|-
|1952
|Lt. Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
The Lieutenant Governor of Delaware is the second ranking executive officer of the U.S. state of Delaware. Lieutenant Governors are elected for a term of four years in the same general election as the U.S. President and take office the following January....
|
| |John W. Rollins
| |Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
| |86,622
| |51%
|
| |Vernon B. Derrickson
| |Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
| |83,300
| |49%
|-
|1960
|Governor
|
| |John W. Rollins
| |Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
| |94,043
| |48%
|
| |Elbert N. Carvel
Elbert N. Carvel
Elbert Nostrand "Bert" Carvel was an American businessman and politician from Laurel, in Sussex County, Delaware...
| |Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
| |100,792
| |52%
External links
Places with more information
- Delaware Historical SocietyDelaware Historical SocietyThe Delaware Historical Society began in 1864 as an effort to preserve documents from the Civil War. Since then, it has expanded into a state-wide historical institution with several venues and a major museum in Wilmington and the historic Read House & Gardens in New Castle.The society...
; website; 505 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801; (302) 655-7161 - University of DelawareUniversity of DelawareThe university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
; Library website; 181 South College Avenue, Newark, Delaware 19717; (302) 831-2965