Martha Rivers Ingram
{{short description|American billionaire and business executive}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Martha Rivers Ingram
|image = Martha Rivers Ingram, October, 2020.jpg
|image_size =
|caption = Ingram in 2020
|birth_name = Martha Robinson Rivers
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1935|8|20}}
|birth_place = Charleston, South Carolina, US
|death_date =
|death_place =
|known_for = Philanthropist, arts patron
|education = Vassar College
|occupation = Businesswoman
|title = Former chairman, Ingram Industries
Former chairman, Vanderbilt University Board of Trust
|spouse = {{Marriage|E. Bronson Ingram
|October 4, 1958|June 15, 1995|reason=his death}}
|children = 4, including Orrin H. Ingram II
John R. Ingram
David Bronson Ingram
|relatives = Frederic B. Ingram (brother-in-law)
Ingrid Goude (sister-in-law)
Sarah LeBrun Ingram (daughter-in-law)
}}
Martha Robinson Rivers Ingram (born August 20, 1935) is an American billionaire businesswoman and philanthropist. In 1995, Ingram succeeded her late husband as chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Ingram Industries, one of America's largest privately-held companies. She is the co-author of three books, including two biographies and a history of the performing arts in Nashville, Tennessee.
Early life
Martha Robinson Rivers was born in Charleston, South Carolina, the daughter of John Minott Rivers and Martha Elizabeth Robinson. She was educated at Ashley Hall in Charleston. She graduated from Vassar College with a Bachelor of Arts in history in 1957.[https://www.bloomberg.com/bw/stories/1997-09-28/inside-a-15-billion-dynasty Inside A $15 Billion Dynasty], Bloomberg Business, September 28, 1997
Career
Upon graduation, she found employment at WCSC-AM/FM and WCSC-TV, a radio and television station, respectively, owned by her father.
Ingram was appointed by her husband as director of public affairs at Ingram Industries in 1979. After her husband's death in 1995, she became chairman and CEO.
Ingram is the co-author of three books. Her first book was a biography of her husband published in 2001, six years after his death.{{cite news |title=Ingram releasing book on her late husband |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/111929122/?terms=%22complete%2Bthese%2Bunfinished%2Btasks%2Bof%2Bmine%22 |accessdate=February 3, 2019 |work=The Tennessean |date=November 15, 2001|page=3|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }} In her second book, published in 2004, Ingram wrote about the performing arts scene in Nashville during the Antebellum era.{{cite news |last1=Bostick |first1=Alan |title=Ingram uncovers colorful history while chronicling performing arts in Nashville |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/244947215/?terms=%22Apollo%27s%2Bstruggle%2B%3A%2Ba%2Bperforming%2Barts%2Bodyssey%2Bin%2Bthe%2BAthens%2Bof%2Bthe%2BSouth%2C%2BNashville%2C%2BTennessee%22 |accessdate=February 3, 2019 |work=The Tennessean |date=June 8, 2004|page=D2|via=Newspapers.com|url-access=registration }} She argued that it was destroyed by the American Civil War and that it never fully recovered. Her third book, published in 2006, was a biography of Kenneth Schermerhorn, the music director of the Nashville Symphony.
=Philanthropy=
Ingram was a co-founder of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center which opened in 2005.[http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/articles/2010/11/10/affiliate/brentwoodlife/arts/01ingram.txt Martha Rivers Ingram Awarded for Philanthropy in The Arts]. Brentwood Life, accessed December 29, 2010. She formerly served as Chairman of the Board of Trust of Vanderbilt University in Nashville. The Vanderbilt Blair School of Music has been the recipient of $300 million of Ingram company stock.
Ingram was named in Business Week as the 50th most generous philanthropist, for her donations from 2000 to 2004.[http://www.facesofphilanthropy.com/martha-ingram/ Martha Ingram's philanthropy page]. Faces of Philanthropy, accessed December 29, 2010. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150221102908/http://www.facesofphilanthropy.com/martha-ingram/][https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:3uiPYiKiz9IJ:www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_48/b3910402.htm+Martha+Ingram+Philanthropy&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjVQG3ew7MjWsgR3ZYEo5P-KEpdnun6ZFBSfcwXh65rR3It_5lgSQ6HkswYTHDbJGNWPfqjKU_xXxT8s5_kTqa17mEWACXuJ33HXnrxRXxkJHnI-u7AhfR-jGtMa1sQtQ9zQc8t&sig=AHIEtbRS4ZEAYPuesUotnwL_gr9YavauOg The 50 Most Generous Philanthropists]. Business Week, accessed December 29, 2010.[https://web.archive.org/web/20100925214332/http://www.forbes.com/profile/martha-ingram-family Martha Ingram and Family profile]. Forbes, accessed December 29, 2010. In 2006 she was honored by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee as the 2006 recipient of the 13th Annual Joe Kraft Humanitarian Award for her philanthropic efforts.[http://www.cfmt.org/news/releases/kraft_06.php Nashville Philanthropist Martha Ingram Named 13th Annual Joe Kraft Award Recipient] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20070520155916/http://www.cfmt.org/news/releases/kraft_06.php |date=2007-05-20 }}. The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, accessed on December 29, 2010. She received the Eli & Edythe Broad Award for Philanthropy in the Arts.
=Awards and honors=
- 1999, South Carolina Business Hall of Fame{{cite web|title= S.C. Business Hall of Fame inducts area native | publisher= GoUpstate.com | url= https://www.goupstate.com/article/NC/19990529/News/605182166/SJ}}
- 1999, Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame{{cite web|title= Martha Ingram becoming part of Junior Achievement hall | publisher= Nashville Business Journal | url= https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/1999/02/22/daily18.html}}
- 2004, Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council member Naomi Judd{{cite web|title= Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement |website=www.achievement.org|publisher=American Academy of Achievement|url=https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#business}}{{cite web|title=2004 Summit Highlights Photo: Academy Awards Council member Naomi Judd presents the Golden Plate Award to philanthropist Martha Ingram.|publisher=American Academy of Achievement|url= https://achievement.org/summit/2004/}}
- 2017, Music City Walk of Fame{{cite web|title= Nashville Music City Stars – Martha Ingram | publisher= Nashville Music City | url= https://www.visitmusiccity.com/walkoffame/stars/martha-ingram.html}}
Personal life
On October 4, 1958, she married E. Bronson Ingram II (1931–1995) at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.{{cite web |url = http://www.vanderbilt.edu/boardoftrust/cmembers/ingramm.html |title = Vanderbilt University: Board of Trust: Martha R. Ingram |publisher = Vanderbilt University |accessdate = 2008-05-09 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080505104512/http://www.vanderbilt.edu/boardoftrust/cmembers/ingramm.html |archivedate = 2008-05-05 }} Her husband was the son of business magnate Orrin Henry Ingram, Sr., grandson of Erskine B. Ingram, and great-grandson of Orrin Henry Ingram. They had three sons and a daughter:
- Orrin H. Ingram II (born 1960), the CEO of Ingram Industries and the chairman of Ingram Barge Company.
- John R. Ingram (born {{Circa|1961}}), the chairman of the Ingram Content Group, Lightning Source, and Ingram Industries.
- David Bronson Ingram (born {{Circa|1962}}), the chairman and president of Ingram Entertainment.{{cite news |last1=Hawn |first1=Carleen |title=Sibling rivalry |url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/1999/0906/6405194a.html#21f402be4e7a |accessdate=29 July 2019 |work=Forbes |date=September 6, 1999 |language=en}}
- Robin Ingram Patton.{{cite web |title=Robin Ingram Patton {{!}} Vanderbilt News' |url=https://news.vanderbilt.edu/tag/robin-ingram-patton/ |website=news.vanderbilt.edu |publisher=Vanderbilt University |accessdate=29 July 2019}}
=Political activity=
In 2015, Ingram donated to Democratic candidate Megan Barry's campaign to become the new Mayor of Nashville.{{cite news |last=Harrison |first=Scott |date=September 8, 2015 |title=Barry vs. Fox: Who the biggest business names have their money behind for mayor |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2015/09/barry-vs-fox-biggest-business-donors.html?ana=fbk |newspaper=Nashville Business Journal |location=Nashville, Tennessee |access-date=September 13, 2015 }}
Works
- {{cite book |last1=Rivers Ingram |first1=Martha |title=E. Bronson Ingram: Complete These Unfinished Tasks of Mine |date=2001 |publisher=Hillsboro Press |location=Franklin, Tennessee |isbn=9781577362166|oclc=48551547}}
- {{cite book |last1=Rivers Ingram |first1=Martha |last2=Kellogg |first2=D. B. |title=Apollo's Struggle: A Performing Arts Odyssey in the Athens of the South, Nashville, Tennessee |date=2004 |publisher=Hillsboro Press |location=Franklin, Tennessee |isbn=9781577363101|oclc=55675624}}
- {{cite book |last1=Rivers Ingram |first1=Martha |last2=Kellogg |first2=D. B. |title=Kenneth Schermerhorn: He Will Always Be the Music |date=2006 |publisher=Nashville Symphony Association |location=Nashville, Tennessee|oclc=73171322}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Vanderbilt University}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ingram, Martha}}
Category:Businesspeople from Charleston, South Carolina
Category:Businesspeople from Nashville, Tennessee
Category:Vassar College alumni
Category:American women chief executives
Category:American billionaires
Category:Vanderbilt University people
Category:Philanthropists from Tennessee