McCray Benson’s nonprofit career includes 21 years in senior management of community foundations. He has been in his current position as President and CEO of Community Foundation of Henderson County since 2005. McCray served more than eight years as senior vice president of Foundation for the Carolinas in Charlotte, overseeing regional services. He served five years as director of Cabarrus County United Way and as senior vice president of United Way of Central Carolinas.
McCray’s additional experience includes 12 years of public service with Mecklenburg County Area Mental Health, providing clinical services and directing the outreach division of Mecklenburg County Mental Health. He also spent more than four years as principal managing partner in his private clinical practice with more than 20 years of combined service in direct clinical practice.
McCray earned his bachelor of science degree in psychology from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN and his Master of Social Work with a focus on community organization and human service administration from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and additional post-graduate studies at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.
McCray is a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum; is on the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social Work Board of Advisors; and serves as a board member of the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits. He is a member of the N.C. Estate Planning Council and the Land of Sky Estate Planning Council. He completed training with Conrad Teitell for charitable and estate tax planning in Washington, D.C.
McCray published the professional article “Clarifying Student Competence in the Agency Setting” in the ARETÉ Journal of the College of Social Work, The University of South Carolina (Sondra J. Fogel and McCray V. Benson). He was recognized in 2001 with the Distinguished Alumni Award by the UNC School of Social Work in Chapel Hill.
McCray is a member of the Rotary Club of Hendersonville and was a member of the 2013 Class of Vision Henderson County. He is married to Judy Atchley Benson. McCray is the bonus father to Judy’s children, Shannon and Heather.