Episode 03 | Part 2: Chris Griffin, President & CEO, USG Corporation

As we continue our conversation about leadership with Chris, 
he makes a striking statement:

I joke all the time: I'm overhead. I don't make anything and I
don't sell anything. So the only value I provide to the
organization is getting the resources so that others can be
successful. That's it. And so I need my teams to be effective, and
if they're effective, that's how I'm successful. It's a simple as
that. 

Building on this idea, he talks about trust as an essential
ingredient in a successful organization. He then reflects on how he
has learned to embrace leadership as a practice that requires daily
commitment, and has also learned that the most important thing he
can do as a leader is focus on making his direct reports better and
inspiring them to make their direct reports better, too.

Chris is a proven business leader with more than 35 years’
experience leading multi-dimensional strategies to accelerate
growth, optimize market position, and advance globalization.

His previous roles with USG include chief operating officer;
executive vice president, Operations; president, International;
president of USG’s Canadian subsidiary CGC and several other roles
in sales, product management, manufacturing and operations. He also
previously served as chief executive officer of Knauf Insulation
North America.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wilfrid Laurier
University in Ontario, Canada, and has completed the advanced
management program at the Wharton School of the University of
Pennsylvania.

Chris is also a member of the Board of Directors of Chicagoland
Habitat for Humanity and Make-A-Wish Illinois. He is a past member
of the Board of Directors for the Construction Technology for Women
association, a past member of the Board of Governors for George
Brown Community College and has served volunteer roles with Junior
Achievement.

Since 1902, USG has led the manufacturing industry with innovations
and products that set new standards for design, productivity and
performance for customers all over the globe.

In 2017, the company celebrated the 100th anniversary of its iconic
Sheetrock Brand, the landmark product that revolutionized interior
construction and enabled the lightweight, fireproof walls that
continue to be built today. USG is also a leading manufacturer of
building products and innovative solutions, including wall,
ceiling, flooring, sheathing and roofing products, that help the
construction industry build stronger, safer, more sustainable
communities.

In April 2019, USG joined the Knauf group under Chris’s leadership;
Knauer is the world’s largest gypsum manufacturer with a diverse
product portfolio and global footprint.