Terry Gaylord

Overview

Terry Gaylord is Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer at Ryan, based in the Firm’s Plano office. He leads Ryan’s global People Group, overseeing the Firm’s talent strategy, organizational effectiveness, leadership development, total rewards, employee experience, and human resources operations. Terry partners with executive leadership to cultivate a high-performing culture that supports Ryan’s strategic growth while enabling employees to achieve their full potential.

With more than 20 years of leadership experience in human resources and organizational development, Terry brings deep expertise in building people strategies that align talent with business objectives. His experience spans professional services, financial services, and technology-enabled organizations, where he has led global HR teams, guided organizational transformation, supported mergers and acquisitions, and implemented technology-driven talent solutions. Terry is recognized for fostering collaborative, high-performing organizations through thoughtful leadership, data-informed decision-making, and a strong commitment to culture, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

Education and Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Kansas State University

Master of Science, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Kansas State University

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, Illinois Wesleyan University

Experience and Achievements

Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer, Ryan, Plano office

• Leads Ryan’s global People Group and enterprise talent strategy

• Oversees leadership development, organizational effectiveness, total rewards, and employee experience

Chief Human Resources Officer, Epiq

• Directed global human resources strategy across a multinational organization

• Led talent management, HR operations, organizational development, and cultural transformation

Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Epiq

Vice President, Human Resources, Epiq

• Led global HR programs supporting strategic growth and organizational performance

Vice President, Organization Development and HR Business Partner, JPMorgan Chase

• Guided leadership development, talent management, and organizational effectiveness initiatives

• Supported enterprise change management and succession planning

HR Business Partner, Payless ShoeSource

Manager, Organization Development, Payless ShoeSource

Research Psychologist, Leadership Development, Army Research Institute (ARI)

Chair, Human Resources Advisory Board, University of Missouri-Kansas City