June 1, 2026
This summer, we’re celebrating the amazing alumni of Suwannee County School District and the journeys they’ve taken since graduation.
Today, we’re featuring Sherman Riley, a 2000 graduate of Suwannee High School. Since walking the halls of SCSD, he has gone on to be a Vice President of Supply Chain and Operations at Sy-Klone, where he leads end-to-end supply chain and manufacturing operations for filtration systems used on heavy equipment, including Caterpillar, John Deere, and Volvo. He holds an Industrial Engineering degree from Florida State University and brings over 20 years of operations leadership experience. Sherman spent 5 years with PepsiCo managing Gatorade operations across Florida and the Bahamas, followed by 15 years at Johnson & Johnson in multiple leadership roles supporting the manufacturing of ACUVUE contact lenses.
When asked about the impact SCSD had on him, Riley shared:
“Growing up in the Suwannee County School District played a major role in shaping both my academic foundation and leadership development. During my time in SCSD, I challenged myself academically by taking Honors, AP, and Dual Enrollment courses, which helped prepare me for a successful transition to Florida State University and my pursuit of an Industrial Engineering degree. Additionally, the vocational school provided valuable technical and technology-related experience that exposed me to hands-on learning and practical skills. Looking back, SCSD provided me with a well-rounded educational experience that combined academics, athletics, leadership, and technical development, all of which helped shape the person and leader I am today.”
While in school, Riley was involved in extracurricular activities including baseball, basketball, and the National Honor Society. Participating in athletics and leadership organizations helped me develop important skills such as teamwork, discipline, communication, accountability, and leadership. These skills continue to benefit me today as a business executive, and one favorite memory that still stands out is:
“Riding my bike going to public library after school and going into Cheek & Scott Pharmacy to get candy and soda.”
One accomplishment Riley is especially proud of since graduating is:
“Being in a position to pay it forward and give back scholarship money to graduating high school seniors. Being able to see students from my hometown go off to college and accomplish their dreams and become productive citizens and impact their community. ”
And for current SCSD students, Riley offers this advice:
“Take challenging classes that will prepare them for college and trade school as well as being in clubs and organizations to have a well rounded resume of academics and leadership.”
Thank you, Sherman Riley, for representing SCSD so well and for inspiring the next generation of students.
The Suwannee County School District, my choice for high quality education!