Chief Human Resource Officer at PGT Innovations [NYSE: PGTI]

Debbie LaPinska

Debbie LaPinska is a seasoned leader in the HR industry, currently serving as the chief human resource officer at PGT Innovations. With over three decades of experience working in various roles within the organization, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role. As a leader, she is known for her ability to inspire and empower her teams to set high goals and achieve great things. LaPinska provides direction and oversight for all HR-related efforts, programs, and initiatives, and is passionate about driving success through effective people management.

How would you describe your journey with PGT Innovations, and what are your key responsibilities here? 

My career path with PGT Innovations has been a winding road that has allowed me to gain immeasurable experience and knowledge. Starting out as a Customer Service Representative, I was able to build strong relationships with customers and colleagues alike, which led me to new and more challenging roles in many different departments.

As the Chief Human Resource Officer at PGT Innovations, I fulfill various roles within the organization. I work with the board of directors, as well as the compensation, governance, and strategic planning committees to develop plans for the future. In addition, I create HR strategies that enable the effective implementation of new initiatives, while also carrying out various HR responsibilities, including talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, health and safety, and organizational development.

“The role of HR should be to support the growth initiatives of the organization. This sometimes requires thinking outside the box and being creative in our solutions to move the company forward.”

As a result of the variousrolesI’ve held at PGT Innovations, I possess a well-rounded understanding of various domains, including sales and marketing, human resources, and customer relations, which allows me to make informed decisions during challenging times.

Please shed some light on how you work to implement changes in PGT Innovations.

As the CHRO at PGT Innovations, I believe in a collaborative approach within the organization. I encourage my team to be adaptable and open-minded, and to consider different perspectives before making decisions. In order to make wise decisions, it's important to understand the circumstances and context of a situation. For example, during the pandemic, keeping our team members safe was our number one priority, and while we had never had widespread work-from-home options in the past, we had to adapt our policies however we could for the sake of our team members. We reevaluated our processes and made it possible to allow some support departments to work from home.

The role of HR should be to support the growth initiatives of the organization. This sometimes requires thinking outside the box and being creative in our solutions to move the company forward. As PGT Innovations is continuously growing through acquisitions, it's crucial for our team to work with our partners on cultural integration and leveraging talent.

Are there any recent projects you have been working on, and what are some of the process elements leveraged to make it successful?

I have recently been working on resolving challenges related to labor shortage and recruitment, as well as developing a compensation strategy to address this issue. As part of this effort, I developed an employer value proposition strategy that assists HR in recruiting, onboarding, and retaining employees. This strategy was effectively implemented at the grassroots level with the help of my team of five HR executives, who oversaw 50 HR representatives across various locations. With their supervision, we were able to implement these strategies for 5500 employees, resulting in increased employee involvement in teams and better outcomes.

In light of your experience, what will be your advice to fellow peers in the industry?

Working collaboratively across different teams in the organization and incorporating everyone’s decision is crucial for achieving better outcomes and enhancing employee participation. This approach can lead to increased productivity, as everyone feels valued and is more likely to be invested in the success of the project.

Given that our organization is regularly involved in acquisitions, it is important to introduce new team members to our company's culture and processes to ensure that they are aligned with the organization's goals and values. This can help to facilitate a smooth transition for the new team members and ensure that they can contribute effectively to the team.