USG's Diane Earll Named Red Cross Chicago Board Chair
The company's Diane Earll becomes Red Cross Chicago board chair, expanding her longtime community leadership.
Just a year after sharing how USG's longstanding partnership with the American Red Cross reflects the company's commitment to building stronger communities, Diane Earll is taking on an even larger leadership role.
The American Red Cross of Illinois has named Earll, President of USG's Ceilings Division and Senior Vice President, as Board Chair of the Greater Chicago Chapter Board of Directors. She succeeds Joyce Trimuel after serving as Vice Chair and as a member of the chapter's board since 2019.
When Walls & Ceilings spoke with Earll in 2025, she described USG's relationship with the Red Cross as a natural extension of the company's mission. At the time, she was serving as Vice Chair of the Illinois Red Cross Board and emphasized the importance of helping communities prepare for and recover from emergencies.
"I am honored to serve as Board Chair of the Greater Chicago Chapter of the American Red Cross," Earll said in the announcement. "Over the past several years, I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the incredible impact the Red Cross makes in our communities every day. I look forward to working alongside our dedicated board members, volunteers and leadership team to further strengthen our mission of helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies."
During her conversation with W&C, Earll reflected on more than three decades at USG, where she has held leadership positions spanning finance, customer service, product management, human resources, retail sales and manufacturing before becoming president of the ceilings business. She credited the company's culture of innovation and employee development for creating opportunities to grow throughout her career.
Beyond discussing USG's product innovation and workforce development efforts, Earll highlighted the company's decades-long support of the American Red Cross, underscoring her personal commitment to community service alongside her leadership responsibilities.
That commitment has continued to grow. As board chair, Earll will lead the Greater Chicago Chapter Board of Directors while working with Red Cross leadership to advance strategic priorities, strengthen community partnerships and support the organization's disaster response, preparedness and humanitarian mission throughout the region.
"Diane has demonstrated exceptional leadership and an unwavering commitment to the Red Cross mission throughout her years of service on our board," Kellie O'Connell, CEO of the American Red Cross of Illinois, said in the announcement. "Her strategic perspective, collaborative approach and passion for serving others make her an outstanding choice to lead our Greater Chicago Chapter Board."
The Red Cross also announced that Laura Rock of Kemper has been appointed Vice Chair of the Greater Chicago Chapter Board of Directors. Rock has served on the board since 2021 and will work alongside Earll to help advance strategic initiatives, strengthen volunteer engagement and expand community partnerships.
For Earll, the appointment represents another milestone in a career defined by leadership, innovation and service—values she told W&C remain central to both USG and her own approach to helping customers and communities succeed.
Listen to our interview with Earll here.
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