A Heart-Led Approach to Hands-On Leadership

When Roy Higgins joined Rentokil Terminix in September 2018 as a Pest Control Technician in Katy, Texas, he was looking for a fresh start. Armed with an accounting degree but no prior pest control experience, Roy embraced the opportunity to learn from the ground up.

Roy’s leadership philosophy is simple: never ask a teammate to do a task you haven't done or aren't willing to do yourself. Roy ensures he stays deeply connected to the field through three core principles: 

1. Hands-On Field Presence: Roy visits all eight branches monthly, engaging in site visits, skip-level meetings, and ride-alongs. You can often find him out in the field doing trenching alongside technicians on large commercial jobs.
2. Granular Recognition & Intentional Praise: Whether celebrating a major sales win or recognizing daily effort, Roy personally reaches out to team members with specific, direct feedback rather than generic praise.
3. Frontline-First Culture: Roy views frontline technicians and sales representatives as his "board of advisors," actively seeking their input on key operational decisions.

Roy’s commitment to supporting frontline colleagues comes from a deeply personal place. His late father worked as a frontline employee at another company for 41 years in an environment where staff members didn't feel valued. Roy made it his personal mission to rise through management and build a culture where every team member feels heard, valued, and supported.

"When I was a Level 1 Branch Manager, I started a sticky note tracking the number of times someone said, 'You are the best boss I've ever had.' I keep it in my closet where I get ready... it has over 30 ticks on it. Things like that make every hard day worth it."

For Roy, service goes far beyond pest management—it’s about building genuine relationships with the community.

During his time as a technician in Katy, Roy serviced the home of long-time customers every quarter. On his final service visit before his promotion to Service Manager, Roy shared two life-changing updates: that he and his wife were expecting their first child, and that he was moving into management. The emotional reunion highlighted the bonds forged on the front lines. Years later, when Roy returned as Branch Manager, his very first customer goodwill visit was to sit in their living room and catch up over family photos.

When asked to describe Rentokil Terminix in one word, Roy chose "Unmatched" : 

• Global Scale & Opportunity: Access to industry-leading resources, training, and development programs.
• Real Career Mobility: Proven paths for progression from entry-level positions to executive leadership.
• Supportive Culture: A tight-knit community that supports colleagues professionally and personally.

Roy’s story shows that with dedication, passion, and the right support, there are no limits to where your career can go at Rentokil Terminix.

If you're looking for a career with real mobility, supportive teams, and leadership that leads from the front, explore open roles on our Careers Site today!