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A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. Philanthropist Andrea Massey-Farrell ’98 knows this proverb to be true—a painting hangs in her office as a constant reminder—and it serves as a guiding philosophy for her work as president and CEO of the Harvey & Carol Massey Foundation.

“From an early age, we were taught you had to give back to your community. It was just our family culture,” she says. “You can’t go through life with two catcher’s mitts on.”

In Orlando, the name Massey is quite literally synonymous with service. Massey Services, founded in 1987 by Andrea’s father, Harvey, has grown into the nation’s fifth-largest pest management company. Its subsidiary, Massey Communications, is a full-service advertising, graphic design, PR, and marketing agency. The family foundation, established in 2014, serves the community in everything from arts and culture to human and health services.

In addition to heading the foundation, Massey-Farrell serves as senior vice president for community relations at Massey Services and is the former president and CEO of Massey Communications.

A fervent advocate for education and the arts, she serves on several boards, including Nemours Florida Board of Managers, the Orlando Shakes Board of Trustees, the One Orlando Alliance Board, The Victory Cup Initiative Board of Directors, and the YMCA of Central Florida.

At Rollins, she sits on the Hamilton Holt School Advisory Board and is a leading member of the Donors Forum of Central Florida, administered by the Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership. She also oversees the Massey Foundation’s charitable giving, highlighted by the family’s ongoing support of the Hamilton Holt Advisory Board Endowed Scholarship and a recent $2 million donation to help build a new home for Rollins’ Crummer Graduate School of Business.

For her exceptional leadership to the College and community through volunteerism and service initiatives, Massey-Farrell has won Rollins’ 2022 Alumni Service Award.

“I’m honored and humbled,” she says, thinking back to her days as an organizational communications major at the Holt School. “Service was something I saw modeled at Rollins at all levels, from President Rita Bornstein to my professors. It was class projects that involved the community. It was having professors who were involved in nonprofits. It was working as a team to solve a problem. I felt proud to be part of a school that gave back not only to Winter Park but also to Central Florida.”

Prior to her current role, Massey-Farrell had carved out a successful 20-plus years in agency work, helping clients across multiple industries. But eight years ago, her father and brother, Tony Massey ’12MBA, current president and CEO of Massey Services, approached her about running the foundation.

“I loved my career in advertising and PR,” she says. “That was always my dream of where I thought I fit. But the last four years as president and CEO, I was probably on nine boards and committees, so I’d be doing that during the day and my regular work at night and on weekends. Being able to still be a part of the family business but also represent the passions and ideals my parents had has been an amazing transition.”

When it comes to her personal time, treasure, and talent, Massey-Farrell balances it all with a simple philosophy: “Only say yes to things that tug at the heart strings.” Supporting her every step of the way are an “incredible husband and children who are passionate about the community as well.”

As for her family foundation’s strong ties with Rollins, Massey-Farrell is happy to be in a position where she can plant many a metaphorical shade tree.

“To us, investing in Rollins means we’re working to make our community a better place,” she says. “From the bottom of my heart, I love Rollins and what it’s done for me and my family. I feel like my experience at Rollins has made me a better person.”

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