Our Expert Gardeners
Jo Ann Dewar
Jo Ann was born and raised on a family farm in Chalybeate Springs, NC. Her love of plants was cultivated along with the crops in her early days. She was a bulldog of a point guard on her high school basketball team, often being listed in the local newspaper for her defensive skills. After school, she spent a short time with the FBI as a fingerprint specialist in Washington, D.C., before returning to North Carolina and marrying her husband, Tom.
After a few brief moves, Tom and Jo Ann settled on the 13 acres that now make up Fairview Garden Center. Jo Ann still works in the business on a daily basis, often being the first to arrive and the last to leave. Jo Ann has four children, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Along with her passion for plants, Jo Ann enjoys spending time with her family, being at the beach, fishing and watching Wolfpack athletics.
Susan Rollins
President
Susan was raised on the property that Fairview Garden Center now occupies, where her family originally had a small farm and large garden. When she was a child, Susan thought she hated all the butter beans, corn, peas and other plants they had to pick and shell. At some point, though, her love of plants began and she realized how fascinating they were.
She started working in the business during high school right as it began, and later attended NCSU, receiving a degree in Flower and Nursery Crop Technology. Today, Susan can be found growing veggie and herb plants at Fairview Garden Center and enjoying time with her two children and four beautiful grandchildren.
Brad Rollins
Vice President & General Manager
Brad was born and raised right next to the Fairview Garden Center property. As an infant, he often spent time in cardboard boxes right on the plant propagation tables. Then, as a child, he spent his days running around Fairview Garden Center, irritating employees and customers while checking out all of the cool flowers, plants, lizards and frogs that caught his attention.
His love of plants led him to a degree in Horticultural Science from NC State University. Outside of work, Brad enjoys spending time with his wife, Heather, and daughters, Aubrey and Carter Jo. When time permits, you can find him fishing, playing golf or at Wolfpack football and basketball games. Go Pack!
Karlie Rollins
Karlie was raised in her family home on the Fairview Garden Center property, right next to the greenhouse. Growing up, she often spent her time riding her bike through the nursery and begging to run the cash register. She soon became captivated watching “Anma,” as she called her grandmother, propagate plants, fascinated by how quickly they grew and how beautiful they became. Jo Ann allowed Karlie to help, “rooting” her love for plants even further.
After high school, Karlie attended NC State University, where she earned a degree in Ornamentals and Landscape Technologies. Later, she pursued another degree in the medical field, one of her other passions. She worked at Rex Hospital before transitioning to a full-time role with an OB/GYN. Although she finds the medical field most rewarding, Karlie continues to love plant propagation and works part-time during Fairview Garden Center’s busy seasons (April-May and August-October).
In 2006, Karlie married Michael Beasley, whom she met during plant propagation at NC State. Together, they have a daughter, Madalyn, and a son, Tade, who are the lights of their lives. Outside of work, Karlie enjoys spending time with her family, supporting NC State basketball and football, going to the beach, decorating their home and working in their yard.
Heather Rollins
Marketing Director
Heather was born and raised in Fuquay-Varina, NC, where she spent many Saturday mornings shopping with her mother at Fairview Garden Center. She met her husband, Brad Rollins, while they were both in the Horticulture Club at North Carolina State University. While it may sound like a nerdy love story, it confirms they are both proud plant geeks.
Heather earned a BS in Horticultural Science from NCSU in 2005 and worked in the wholesale nursery trade at Smith’s Nursery and Produce Farm for six years before joining the Fairview family business. She enjoys working on the website, storefront and promotions, while still finding time to help in the greenhouse and get her hands dirty. Outside of work, Heather loves spending time with her two daughters, Aubrey and Jo Jo, going to the beach and cheering for the Wolfpack!
Phyllis Rollins
Assistant General Manager, Personnel Manager & Floral Designer
Phyllis began her career at the age of 17 with a bank, where she worked for over 22 years. She held several positions—including teller, branch manager and organizer of employee motivational meetings—and also did a lot of community service work. During this time, Phyllis also had two wonderful children and two beautiful grandchildren that she adores!
Although she loved her work at the bank and her customers, Phyllis was ready for a career change. While talking with her sister-in-law, Susan—who is an owner at Fairview Garden Center—she found out that they needed someone in Personnel and Marketing. Phyllis was asked if she was interested and said yes—and since 1992, she has never regretted the decision. She feels blessed to work with family in a creative field she truly loves, continuing to serve and help others.
Mary Ann Guido
Perennial Department Manager & Buyer
Mary Ann was born as the second of seven children and grew up in beautiful Hunterdon County, New Jersey. After high school, she joined AT&T Long Lines, where she worked for seven years. By the time Mary Ann left AT&T, she had three children who wanted her to stay home, so she did—and she later added a fourth to the family.
The next chapter of her life took her to North Carolina, where she and her family spent 20 years living in Chatham County. During those years, Mary Ann worked in various roles, gaining experience in areas that helped her learn what she enjoyed and didn’t enjoy. She worked with preschoolers in a childcare enrichment program, at a perennial nursery, held clerical positions at Performance Bicycle and spent several years working at Fearrington Village.
It was through these roles that Mary Ann realized what she enjoyed most was physical work, spending time outdoors, being with people and gardening in general. Her interest in retail, combined with the desire for variety in her daily work, led her to her current position at Fairview Garden Center. Mary Ann started as a part-time employee in 2002 and has been working as a manager and buyer in the perennial department since 2012.
Over the years, she has expanded her knowledge of plants, gardening and the retail business, continuing to learn more in the garden center industry. In addition to her work, Mary Ann now enjoys gardening in her own backyard in Holly Springs, where she has also welcomed a granddaughter into her life.
Cindy Green
Assistant Perennial Manager
Cindy has been with Fairview Garden Center since 2004, focusing on perennials and production. With a wide-ranging background in business, retail, medical, dental and the airline industry, Cindy’s interest in gardening developed as her husband’s career led them to move often. Initially starting with a “plant and hope it lives” approach, she quickly learned the importance of research after discovering what didn’t work. Working at Fairview Garden Center has provided Cindy with ongoing education, further growing her knowledge and passion for gardening.
Delyn Metcalfe
Nursery Manager & Buyer
Delyn brings a wealth of expertise and enthusiasm to her role at Fairview Garden Center. With a Bachelor’s degree in Health/Fitness and a Master’s in Sports Administration, Delyn combines her academic background with a deep passion for gardening. As a Certified Master Gardener, she thrives on helping customers find the perfect plants to enhance their spaces. When she’s not at work, Delyn enjoys reading and tending to her own garden. She shares her home with her husband, their loyal dog Courage and their affectionate cat Ruby. Delyn is also the proud mom of two adult sons, Harrison and Walt, and the entire family are avid fans of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks.
Randy Smith
Retail Greenhouse Manager
Randy brings a unique blend of expertise from his 30+ years in the telecommunications industry. His passion for the outdoors, gardening and working in his own yard inspired him to transition into the horticultural field in 2018. Randall’s extensive background in customer service and management, combined with his love for plants and the natural world, makes him a valuable resource for gardeners of all levels. Whether helping customers select the perfect plants or offering expert advice, Randall is dedicated to helping you grow your knowledge of indoor plants, annuals, herbs and vegetable gardening.
Cindy Keith
Cash Team Member & Hardgoods Buyer
Cindy joined Fairview’s staff in 2007 after retiring from the mortgage banking industry, where she spent 23 years. Gardening has always been a passion of hers, but it became more than a hobby when she transitioned to a full-time role at Fairview Garden Center. Instead of spending 40 hours a week in a gray cubicle pushing paper, Cindy now enjoys being surrounded by flowers, trees and all the beauty that Mother Nature has to offer as part of a great team. She also loves spending time with her daughter, who is grown and married.
Carol Calloway
Growing Greenhouse Manager
Carol has been a Fairview Garden employee since 1980 (she’s older than our dirt)! She has worked in both the retail, wholesale and production departments, holding a BS in Ornamental Horticulture from NCSU. She is responsible for growing our plants, ordering seeds, cuttings and plugs, as well as chemicals, soil and pots needed for growing. Our wholesale orders are also her responsibility, mainly composed of poinsettias and easter lilies, as well as a small amount of contract growing.
Chance Smith
Assistant Production Manager
With over 12 years of plant production experience, Chance has played a vital role in Fairview Garden Center’s greenhouse operations since 2017. He specializes in overseeing unrooted propagation and plant nutrition, ensuring healthy, vibrant growth from the start.
What Chance loves most about his work is the ever-evolving nature of plant production. Each day presents new challenges, opportunities to learn and collaboration with fellow growers. His passion for horticulture extends beyond the greenhouse, as he enjoys sharing his knowledge with customers, helping them cultivate thriving plants year after year.
Carmen Hernandez
Assistant Production Manager
Carmen’s passion for plants began as a little girl, making mud pies in the dirt. That, however, turned into a 15-year career in the restaurant industry and earning an Associate Degree of Applied Science in Culinary Arts. After five years of owning and operating a food truck in Seattle, Washington, Carmen and her husband decided to move their family to North Carolina for a better quality of life and more time with their three children.
Though changing careers mid-life was incredibly difficult, Carmen is forever grateful to have found her new passion at Fairview Garden Center overseeing the growth and management of annual plants. Carmen has worked here since 2022, gaining phenomenal training and hands-on experience with many plant varieties she had never encountered before.
Carmen enjoys creatively working alongside her team of plant geeks (or “Fairview family,” as she also calls them), cultivating beauty and seeing the joy their products bring to customers. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, exploring new nature trails, cheering on her son at soccer games, catching up with her daughters, cooking, expanding her garden and houseplant collection and unwinding with Netflix.