Kris Carroll, president of Grady-White Boats, has been inducted into the National Marine Manufacturers Hall of Fame. The induction took place on September 29, in a virtual ceremony coinciding with the opening session of 2020 IBEX Online.
Carroll, who started at Grady-White as a production control clerk in 1975, worked her way up through the ranks to become company president in 1993.
Following in the footsteps of Grady-White founder Eddie Smith, another NMMA Hall of Famer, she has been a tireless advocate for the marine industry. Carroll serves on the NMMA board of directors and the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, is the past chairwoman of the NMMA Boat Manufacturers’ Division board, and served on the advisory councils and boards of the Center for Sportfishing Policy and BoatU.S.
In 2002, Carroll received the Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year Award from the Marine Retailer Association of the Americas. She was also celebrated by the Center for Sportfishing Policy with the 2012 Eddie Smith Manufacturer of the Year Award for her dedication to conservation efforts and service to the organization and the board. And in 2018, she was honored with NMMA’s Hammond Marine Leadership Award for her advocacy efforts.
