Perkins is a 1964 NC State College of Textiles graduate with a major in textile technology. He began his career as a management trainee with JP Stevens Company in New York, became sales manager at Federal Spinning Company in Sanford, and in 1980 founded Imperial Yarns, serving as president and CEO for seven years. In 1988, he established Pioneer Yarn Mills and served as president and CEO until the company merged with Unifi's Spun Yarn Division in 1993. He served there until 1996, when he founded Frontier Spinning Mills Inc., where he's now chairman and CEO.

Perkins says the textile community needs to solve problems together. “We as an industry must find answers to some of the industry's biggest problems in order to have continued success,” he said. “The students of the College of Textiles will be solving not only these issues but also the issues of our future. We need strong students now to have proven leaders in this industry in the future.”

Perkins is active in industry associations, including the American Yarn Spinners Association and the North Carolina Textile Manufacturers Association, among others. He is also a member of a number of corporate boards and has affiliations with Meredith College Board of Trustees and the Central Carolina Community College Board of Trustees.