Ronnie was born in Charlotte, N.C., on November 30, 1948, to Blanche Sparks Sherrill and Joseph Glenn Sherrill. He attended Charlotte public schools, graduating from South Mecklenburg High School in 1966 and from N.C. State University in 1970 with a degree in civil engineering. He spent seven years in the U.S. Army Reserve while also starting his career at AISC as a member fabricator while working for SteelFab, which his father founded in 1955.
Ronnie spent summers and Christmas breaks working at the SteelFab plant and knew at a young age that he wanted to work with his father. He began his career at the company working as a supervisor in the plant and later as a draftsman. By 1973, he moved into the office full-time, assuming responsibility for sales, estimating, and project management. He became president in 1980 and retired as chairman and CEO in 2017. He often stated that one of the highlights of his life was being able to not only work with his father and two brothers but also work alongside his two sons.
Ronnie also served on the boards of AISC, the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, Dowd YMCA, McColl Center for Visual Arts, NorthWestern Bank, and First Union, as well as chairing the fundraising committee for Charlotte Muscular Dystrophy Association for several years.
“Ronnie had an infectious smile and was so dedicated to working for the good of the industry,” said AISC President Charles J. Carter, SE, PE, PhD. “He got excited about projects we would undertake and would ask me what he and his company could do to help.”
Ronnie is survived by his wife, Paulette Eckard Sherrill; sons Glenn and Stuart; stepsons David Brewer and Mathew Brewer; and grandchildren Jack, Will, Luke, Celia, and Sarah.