Gina Max, Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer , Knauf North America | Speaker

Gina S. Max is a seasoned executive with over 27 years of experience in human resources and leadership roles. Her mission is to create a workplace where every employee thrives, contributes, and feels valued.  As the Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer at Knauf Insulation, Inc., she plays a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s talent strategy and fostering a positive work environment. Gina is passionate about empowering employees and driving organizational excellence. Her commitment to fostering a culture of growth and innovation has been instrumental in her success. 

Key Achievements: 

• Successfully led cross-functional teams to update organizational structure, create new programs, and implement change at both USG and Knauf. 
• Transformed Knauf’s approach to human resources and people management with innovative ideas on employee engagement, rewards and recognition, and talent development.  
• Led the development of DEI and Inclusion Strategy Teams at both USG and Knauf. 
• Created proactive and strategic Recruitment and Onboarding plans for numerous business initiatives including Knauf’s largest greenfield facility in North America. 

Prior to joining Knauf, Gina spent over 25 years at USG Corporation where she started in an entry-level human resources position and worked in a number of human resources and field leadership roles across the company. In 2021, Max was promoted from the Head of Talent at USG to her current role. 
She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Penn State University and a master’s degree in business administration from Capella University.  Max also holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources certification and is trained in Lean Principles. Max resides in the western suburbs of Chicago with her three children. In her free time Max enjoys spending time with family, reading the latest business and strategy books, and travelling to the Jersey Shore.