{"id":34925,"date":"2022-12-01T17:01:21","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T22:01:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/textiles.ncsu.edu\/?p=34925"},"modified":"2024-03-28T12:53:59","modified_gmt":"2024-03-28T16:53:59","slug":"leadership-in-the-textiles-industry-and-a-commitment-to-his-alma-mater-earns-brian-mcmurray-nc-states-distinguished-alumni-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/textiles.ncsu.edu\/news\/2022\/12\/leadership-in-the-textiles-industry-and-a-commitment-to-his-alma-mater-earns-brian-mcmurray-nc-states-distinguished-alumni-award\/","title":{"rendered":"His Commitment to His Alma Mater Earns Brian McMurray NC State\u2019s Distinguished Alumni Award"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

With more than 30 years of leadership in textile fabrication and the development of life-saving medical devices, Brian McMurray is a titan within the global textile industry. In addition to owning and operating two North Carolinian textile-based companies, he managed to find time to lead the creation of 15 patents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While it\u2019s clear that McMurray has thrived within his professional career, he takes the most pride in his family and his strong connection to his alma mater: the Wilson College of Textiles at NC State. Since graduating in 1986 with a bachelor\u2019s degree in textile technology<\/a>, he has proudly given his time, talent and treasure to the university that helped shape his success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Wilson College of Textiles taught me a multidisciplinary approach to learning new things,\u201d McMurray emphasizes. \u201cIn turn, I\u2019ve been able to quickly adapt within an industry that is constantly changing and evolving. I appreciate my time at the college and how it helped me grow academically and create networks that are still vital today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Nov. 3, McMurray was named an esteemed recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of the ways he\u2019s enriched the university\u2019s history and increased the value of an NC State degree. This honor took him entirely by surprise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was an emotional experience for me,\u201d he shares, clearly moved. \u201cI\u2019ve never desired recognition for my work, so this acknowledgment means a great deal to me. I appreciate my peers nominating me for this honor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dean
At the Evening of Stars Gala on Nov. 3, Brian McMurray \u201986 (right) <\/em>was joined by David Hinks, dean of the Wilson College of Textiles.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

He received the prestigious award at the Evening of Stars Gala<\/a>, which dates back to the early 1940s when the NC State Alumni Association began recognizing noteworthy graduates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brian McMurray is a remarkably impactful Wilson College alumnus. Not only is he a role model for our students interested in textile entrepreneurship and developing high-performance textiles, but he also supports NC State in a myriad of thoughtful ways.

– David Hinks, Ph.D.

Dean of the Wilson College of Textiles<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Dean Hinks went on to say, \u201cBrian continues to pay it forward, from serving as president of the Wolfpack Club to being a director on the North Carolina Textile Foundation Board. He also joined his wife, Konni, as a founding supporter of our Textile Pioneer Scholarship program. We will always be so grateful to Brian\u2019s extraordinary service in making NC State the best it can be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discovering a love for textiles and stepping into leadership<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Born in Summit, New Jersey and raised in Aberdeen, North Carolina, McMurray was introduced to NC State and the Wolfpack in 1978 when he first watched them take on the UNC-Chapel Hill men\u2019s basketball team. His eyes were glued to his family\u2019s television screen, transfixed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always pulled for the underdog,\u201d McMurray says. \u201cI couldn\u2019t help but root for the Wolfpack every time I saw them on the court.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t until McMurray\u2019s father told him that the Wilson College of Textiles<\/a> was the best institution in the world for textiles that he even considered becoming an NC State student. When a recruiter later visited his high school chemistry class to speak about the college, it felt like fate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a high schooler, I worked in my father\u2019s textile plant,\u201d he explains. \u201cThat\u2019s when my love for textiles began. After learning more about the Wilson College, I knew it would be the perfect place to continue my education.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While on campus, McMurray excelled in his textile technology courses and was involved in several student organizations, including the Phi Psi<\/a> national textile fraternity. He went on to graduate summa cum laude in 1986.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
As a member of the Phi Psi national textile fraternity, Brian McMurray \u201986 (back row, third from left)<\/em> helped promote service and fellowship among textile students and industry partners. Photo credit: Agromeck 1985.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With multiple job offers, McMurray weighed his options carefully and decided to begin his career as a textile engineer at General Motors in Detroit, Michigan. It was during his first day of work \u2014 at his orientation to be exact \u2014 that McMurray would meet his wife, Konni. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was by his side when tragedy struck in 1987, and McMurray lost his father. That same year, at 23, McMurray made the difficult decision to become president of his father\u2019s company, McMurray Fabrics<\/a>, a leader in manufacturing warp-knit fabrics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was incredibly daunting to jump into that leadership role at such a young age,\u201d he says. \u201cI was thrown into the deep end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With his natural-born leadership skills, McMurray quickly went from treading water to swimming laps confidently. As president, he and his team expanded the company from one manufacturing plant in Aberdeen, North Carolina, to five plants across the United States and the Dominican Republic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His experience at McMurray Fabrics led him to add another impressive title to his resume in 2001: founder and CEO. After recognizing the specific need for precision textiles in implantable medical devices, McMurray launched ATEX Technologies<\/a>. Today, his company serves as the world\u2019s most comprehensive resource for designing, developing and manufacturing textiles for the implantable medical industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same multidisciplinary approach to learning that he gleaned from the Wilson College as a student is put into practice daily while he balances two demanding leadership roles: president of McMurray Fabrics and president and CEO of ATEX Technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giving the gift of exceptional student experiences<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You can see McMurray\u2019s pride for his alma mater in the offices at both of his companies. Each space is overflowing with keepsakes, pennants and photos from NC State and the Wilson College of Textiles; the amount of Wolfpack red in his offices is visible from several feet away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That love for NC State inspired McMurray, in 1990, to make his first philanthropic gift to the Alumni Association. Since then, his support has ballooned to significantly impact student scholarships in the Wilson College of Textiles and Wolfpack Athletics. It\u2019s an area that is incredibly close to his heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During my third year as a textiles student, I was approached \u2014 unsolicited \u2014 and awarded a merit-based scholarship by the North Carolina Textile Foundation. As a student working to pay for my education, that scholarship meant a lot to me. I want to repay that support by helping outstanding NC State students.

– Brian McMurray ’86<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

One significant way that McMurray and his wife have aided students in the college is by serving as founding benefactors of the Textile Pioneer Scholarship program<\/a>. Their generous gift in 2020, which established the McMurray Family Textile Pioneer Scholarship Endowment, expanded the college\u2019s recruitment efforts in North Carolina\u2019s non-metropolitan areas and with first-generation university attendees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, Textile Pioneer Scholarships award eligible first-year students $14,000 annually over four years. Students can use an additional $4,000 in enrichment funds to study abroad, attend leadership training or conduct research, which helps support their personal and professional growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Brian
On Nov. 3 at the Evening of Stars Gala, Brian McMurray \u201986 (third from right)<\/em> was joined by his wife, Konni (second from right)<\/em>, and their four children: (l-r) <\/em>Patrick, Katherine, Emily and Mary.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis scholarship program aligns perfectly with NC State\u2019s land-grant mission and our values,\u201d Konni says. \u201cWe\u2019re proud to provide access to students who never thought NC State was within reach. These talented students face so many barriers when it comes to higher education. We want to remove as many obstacles as possible from their paths.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four of the five inaugural Textile Pioneer scholars are the first in their families to attend college. One of those students, Jenna Grace Bowker, says, \u201cBeing awarded this scholarship lets me focus on my future without a huge financial roadblock.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She credits the Textile Pioneer Scholarship<\/a>, the McMurray family and the Wilson College of Textiles for opening doors that she would have never been able to locate on her own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n