A Legacy of Career Excellence and Service Earns Sherry McCraw ’90 the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award

Known for her composed presence and calm confidence, Sherry McCraw ’90 leads with the precision of an engineer and the poise of a luxury car executive.

In recognition of her illustrious 31-year career in engineering and planning at BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC, as well as her dedication to the Wilson College of Textiles, McCraw has been honored with the NC State Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award. 

“I was truly honored and surprised to be selected from such a successful and highly distinguished group of alumni,” shares McCraw, a 1990 textile engineering graduate. “This is a great honor.” 

Each year, the Wilson College of Textiles recognizes one graduate with the Distinguished Alumni Award whose professional success, community contributions and dedication to NC State make them a shining example of a true Wolfpack leader.

“Sherry is the epitome of a ‘Wilson for Life’ champion,” says David Hinks, dean of the Wilson College of Textiles. “Her extraordinary work ethic and unwavering dedication to the success of the Wilson College is an inspiration. We are deeply grateful to have her as part of our community and serving on our North Carolina Textile Foundation Board.”

McCraw’s career achievements and deep-rooted loyalty to NC State exemplify the ideals of the Distinguished Alumni Award. Her story is one of determination, excellence and dedication — embodying what it means to be a true Wolfpack graduate.

This legacy extends to McCraw’s own Wolfpack family: her husband, Kevin, a 1993 mechanical engineering graduate, and their daughter, Maris, a sophomore studying textile technology at the Wilson College of Textiles, who is proudly following in her mother’s footsteps.

Her extraordinary work ethic and unwavering dedication to the success of the Wilson College is an inspiration. We are deeply grateful to have her as part of our community and serving on our North Carolina Textile Foundation Board.

Engineering success: Sherry McCraw’s rise at BMW

McCraw’s career at BMW Manufacturing is a testament to resilience, vision and a passion for leadership.

After working as a textile engineer for Sara Lee Knit Products, now HanesBrands, a college connection led McCraw to interview at BMW. 

“I met Susan Crocker, a plant manager and NC State Textiles graduate, who was recruited by BMW Manufacturing to work as the vice president of human resources for the plant startup in South Carolina,” McCraw recalls. “Later, she offered me an interview to work for BMW, too. My connections through the college actually brought me to BMW.” 

She joined the company in 1993 as a manufacturing engineer, where she led projects related to structure layouts, process development, tooling, fixtures and hiring for the new assembly plant being built in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

One of the highlights of McCraw’s career was her role as the project manager at the BMW X3 Production Plant Assembly North. In this position, she led a small team responsible for designing the facility, purchasing equipment and setting up production lines for the BMW X3 in the United States. Another point of pride? Her language skills: in 2001, she honed them with an international assignment in Munich, Germany, overseeing startup planning for the second-generation BMW X5.

My textile engineering degree prepared me for an exciting career in manufacturing, problem-solving and business development. Understanding processes, challenges and the critical aspects of a production operation are skills that have served me repeatedly throughout all aspects of my career.

In 2004, McCraw returned to Spartanburg, where she continued to lead expansion and innovation efforts, including overseeing a 1.2 million square foot expansion and managing a $900 million investment. In 2013, her leadership earned her the role of chief financial officer and vice president of finance, and in 2017, she became vice president of assembly.

Today, McCraw is BMW Manufacturing’s vice president of human resources, where she leads initiatives to cultivate talent and support the company’s workforce.

“My textile engineering degree at NC State prepared me for an exciting career in manufacturing, problem-solving and business development,” McCraw reflects. “The classes focused on all different aspects of a production environment from design through finished product. Understanding processes, challenges and the critical aspects of a production operation are skills that have served me repeatedly throughout all aspects of my career.”

Fond memories and lifelong passion for NC State

McCraw’s passion for NC State started well before she enrolled at the university.

“In seventh grade, I became an avid NC State basketball fan and watched every game,” she recalls. “Once, Jim Valvano came to our mall in Hickory to promote sporting goods. I made my mother, who had no interest in basketball, drive me there to get his autograph. I expected a long line, but I was the only one there. He took the time to talk to me about college, engineering, and, of course, his team for over an hour. This experience made me an NC State fan for life.”

Her passion for NC State grew during her college years, where McCraw recalls cherished memories of camping outside Reynolds Coliseum to secure football and basketball tickets. 

One morning, she remembers stopping at a traffic light on Western Boulevard, admiring a red Mercedes convertible, only to discover the driver was Valvano himself. 

Reflecting on her years at NC State, McCraw recalls her experiences fondly.

“From my friends, professors, spring break trips and games, to remembering how eager I was to start my career as an engineer, NC State did not disappoint,” she says. “I graduated proud, prepared and excited to take on the world.”

McCraw’s enthusiasm for NC State continues through her daughter, Maris, who is following in her mother’s footsteps at the Wilson College of Textiles.

After encouraging Maris to attend the Summer Textile Exploration Camp, McCraw was delighted to see her daughter form new friendships and embrace campus life. After visiting several colleges, Maris ultimately chose to call NC State home.

“Now, it’s fun to hear her impressions of what she is learning and finds exciting about the textile industry and manufacturing,” McCraw notes happily. “While the environment has changed drastically from when I graduated, so many new possibilities have developed.”

A lasting connection with the Wilson College of Textiles

McCraw’s commitment to NC State remains as strong as ever, and she continues to champion the university and its students by paying it forward. 

“NC State and the Wilson College of Textiles prepared me for an exciting life of learning and put me on my path to a highly fulfilling and successful career,” she says. “Giving back to the school through participation on the North Carolina Textile Foundation Board of Directors gives me a chance to share this opportunity with a whole new generation of students.”

As a member of the North Carolina Textile Foundation’s Board of Directors, McCraw plays a crucial role in shaping the future of the Wilson College of Textiles and ensuring its continued success.

“Sherry’s service on the foundation’s board has helped expand opportunities for students, deepen industry partnerships and inspire the next generation of textile leaders,” says Michael Ward, executive director of the North Carolina Textile Foundation (NCTF). “Her commitment to the Wilson College of Textiles is remarkable, and her daughter, Maris, is already following in her footsteps as a student ambassador for the NCTF.”

Sherry’s service on the North Carolina Textile Foundation Board of Directors has helped expand opportunities for students, deepen industry partnerships and inspire the next generation of textile leaders.

Additionally, McCraw and her husband, Kevin, contribute to NC State by supporting priority funds in the Wilson College of Textiles.

• Dean’s Textiles Innovation Fund
  • The Dean’s Textiles Innovation Fund was created to empower the dean of the Wilson College of Textiles to provide financial assistance to areas with the most critical needs — as quickly as possible. From helping students who are facing emergency hardship caused by the loss of a parent to providing faculty with the support needed to present their research at international conferences, the Dean’s Textiles Innovation Fund has helped meet the college’s most immediate needs.
    
• The NCTF Centennial Scholarship Endowment
  • For many students, scholarship support is a critical bridge that makes attending NC State possible. The North Carolina Textile Foundation Centennial Scholarship Endowment provides life-changing, merit-based scholarships to undergraduate students who are pursuing a degree at the Wilson College of Textiles. By covering the costs of tuition, education fees and enrichment activities, the NCTF Centennial Scholarship Endowment empowers students to focus solely on their world-class education.

The couple also supports Kevin’s alma mater by giving to NC State’s Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Enhancement Fund. 

For McCraw, mentoring the next generation is as essential as giving back through service and support.

To emerging Wolfpack students, she offers this valuable advice: “Do not limit yourself! Take chances and try new things, even if you do not like them,” she encourages. “Every opportunity is a chance to learn and grow into a well-rounded leader.”