Representative Howard Maxwell was born in Douglasville, Georgia and grew up in Paulding County. He has been a resident of Dallas, GA since 1958 and is now serving his fifth term as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives. After graduating from Dallas High School, he went on to attend Georgia State University, where he earned his B.B.A. in accounting. Now in his ninth year in the House of Representatives, Howard has served in several leadership positions, including Chairman of the Information and Audits Committee and Vice Chairman of the Insurance Committee. He is currently serving as Chairman of the Retirement Committee and Co-Chair of the Career & Technical Education Advisory Commission and is a member of the Education, Appropriations, and Insurance Committees, and the Education Subcommittee to Appropriations. Rep. Maxwell has been honored for his legislative services and received the Policy Maker of the Year award in 2010 from the Georgia Association for Career & Technical Education and Legislator of the Year 2009-2010 from the Georgia Branch of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA).

Before being elected to represent District 17, Representative Maxwell served as the Chairman of the Paulding County School Board for five years and as Vice Chairman for four and his ten year involvement in the Georgia School Board Worker’ Compensation Fund included five years as Chairman. Howard has been an active part of several community and civic organizations including the Dallas Rotary Club, WellStar Paulding Hospital Board, the Georgia Association of Insurance Agents and Financial Advisors, American Legislators Exchange Council, Leadership Paulding 20 and the Paulding County Chamber of Commerce. Howard served in the United States Army and did a tour of duty in the Republic of Vietnam from 1969-1970.

Chairman Maxwell has been with Allstate Insurance since 1977 and has owned and operated the Howard Maxwell Agency in Cartersville, GA since 1984. He is blessed with two grown children and four "perfect" grandchildren and spends as much time as possible with them. Outside of his legislative and professional activities, he is an active member of Macland Baptist Church in Powder Springs and his leisure activities include traveling, hunting and motorcycling.