At IFC, The Rollins Way isn’t just something displayed on a wall or discussed during meetings, it’s something the team lives every day. Looking for a way to make those values more visible and meaningful, the team at IFC created their own Rollins Way Tree, a colorful display that represents the commitments each employee is making to help themselves, their teammates, and the business continue to grow.
Each Leaf Tells a Story
Red leaves represent goals that create a Heroic Impact. Orange leaves symbolize actions that help the team remain Essential Together. Yellow leaves highlight the ways teammates strive to Be Remarkable for customers, teammates, and the company itself. Together, the leaves transform the tree into something much more than office décor. They create a living reminder that every individual’s commitment contributes to something bigger.
Bringing that vision to life took creativity, collaboration, and someone willing to go the extra mile. That someone was Karen Loudon, Contracts Administrative Specialist & Event Coordinator.
When the team began discussing the project, Karen was simply asked to help find leaves that teammates could use to write their commitments. After looking at different options, she wasn’t happy with what she found. Rather than settling, she decided to create the leaves herself using her Cricut machine. When the team saw the quality of her work, one request quickly turned into another they asked if she would create the entire tree.
Karen Didn’t Hesitate
For her, the project became about much more than paper leaves and branches. It was an opportunity to help create something that reflected the culture she sees every day at IFC. She emphasized that by saying, “One of my favorite quotes is, ‘Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence.’ That’s something I keep in mind with everything I do. No matter who I am doing it for, I always want to do the very best job possible.”
That mindset is exactly why the team trusted Karen with such an important project. She approached it with the same care and pride she brings to everything she does. Knowing what the tree would represent made the creative process especially meaningful. “When I realized it represented accountability, camaraderie, commitment, and contribution, I was all in,” Karen shared. “Anything that allows me to be creative while helping promote engagement is something I can get behind. I just kept thinking how this is exactly how we represent ourselves and the organization we work for.”
For Karen, the tree also serves another purpose. In a nationwide organization, finding ways to keep corporate and territory teams connected isn’t always easy. The Rollins Way Tree helps bridge that gap by giving everyone a shared reminder that they are seen, heard, appreciated, and accountable to one another.
Growing Together
Unlike many recognition displays that fade into the background, the Rollins Way Tree remains an active part of IFC’s culture. Throughout the year, Brad Henry, Executive Vice President & General Manager, and Chris Mueller, Vice President of Marketing & Business Manager, will randomly select leaves from the tree and personally reach out to employees to talk about the goals they’ve written. The conversations aren’t meant to evaluate progress. They’re meant to encourage it. It’s an opportunity to celebrate successes, discuss challenges, and ask one simple question: What can we do to help you achieve your goal?
It’s a small gesture that reinforces one of the most important ideas behind The Rollins Way that success isn’t something we accomplish alone. For Karen, seeing the completed tree filled with everyone’s goals has been the most rewarding part of the project. “It was truly an honor to be asked to create this for IFC, a company that I genuinely enjoy working for,” she said. “Seeing everyone’s leaves come together reminds me that when each of us contributes something meaningful, we create something much bigger than ourselves.”
She hopes others see the tree the same way she does – not simply as a creative display, but as a symbol of engagement, teamwork, accountability, and shared success. “We spend so much of our lives working,” Karen noted. “Why not look for ways to make the experience more positive and enjoyable? I hope everyone sees the beauty in this tree the way I do. I will continue to represent Rollins and IFC in the most positive way possible and take pride in contributing to a culture built on engagement, teamwork, and shared success.”
The Rollins Way Tree is more than branches and leaves. It’s a reflection of the people who make IFC what it is a team committed to growing together, supporting one another, and keeping a positive outlook. Because we’re all more successful when we work together.
