Rachel Eade, automotive sector lead for the Business Growth Service, has received ISME's gold medal for her services to the sector.
Bosses praised the manufacturing expert for the way she has gone beyond the call of duty to support member firms to overcome major challenges to grow and create jobs.
There was a particular mention for her previous role at Accelerate, where she was an instrumental figure in the delivery of the MG Rover Taskforce that helped tens of companies survive the closure.
"This really came out of the blue, but is an award that means a lot to me," explained Eade, who was awarded a MBE in 2014.
She added: "I've worked with a lot of firms involved in sheet metal and it's probably fair to say it is a part of manufacturing that has had to evolve more than most over the last decade.
"The good news is that it has done just that and a good number of manufacturers are now in a period of sustained growth."
It has been estimated that Eade has helped safeguard 11,000 jobs and create more than 5,500 new positions with expanding manufacturers in her 19-year career.
