WILSON, N.C. — Robert A. Ingram will be the featured speaker at the 110th annual commencement exercises of Barton College in Wilson, N.C., scheduled for Sunday, May 13.
Ingram is a general partner in the firm Hatteras Venture Partners, a venture capital firm that invests in early stage life science companies in the southeast United States. He also currently serves as Chairman of Elan Corporation plc. and as Lead Director of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International and Cree, Inc. Ingram is a member of the Board of Directors of Allergan Inc. and Edwards Lifesciences Corporation.
“We are very pleased to have Robert Ingram as Barton’s featured speaker for this spring’s commencement exercises,” shared Dr. Norval C. Kneten, president of Barton College. “A leader among his peers in the research and life sciences industry, Mr. Ingram has inspired Barton students in their pursuit of graduate study and research following their Barton Experience, particularly through internship opportunities provided by GlaxoSmithKline and GlaxoSmithKline Women in Science Endowed Scholarships awarded annually. He also encourages an entrepreneurial spirit for Barton’s business students as evidenced at the 2011 BB&T Center for Free Enterprise Education Lecture. No doubt, he will inspire Barton’s graduating seniors in May as they prepare to take their place in a rapidly changing global environment.”
Ingram began his career in the pharmaceutical industry as a professional sales representative and rose through a series of roles with increasing responsibility to ultimately become CEO/Chairman of GlaxoWellcome. Ingram co-led the merger and integration that formed GlaxoSmithKline, the world’s second largest pharmaceutical company. Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60, Ingram was asked by the Board to serve as Vice Chairman Pharmaceuticals, GSK, which he did until January 1, 2010, at which time he became Strategic Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer, GlaxoSmithKline plc.
In addition to his professional responsibilities, Ingram was asked by former United States President George H.W. Bush to form and chair the CEO Roundtable on Cancer. He is a member of numerous other civic and professional organizations. In January 2004, Ingram was awarded the Martin Luther King, Jr., Legacy Award for International Service. On July 27, 2006, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Advisory Board.
Ingram is a member of the Boards for the James B. Hunt Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, CEO Roundtable on Cancer, Research Triangle Institute and Chairman, GlaxoSmithKline Foundation. He serves as Chairman of Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina and is on the Advisory Board, Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, University of Southern California.
He graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.
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Questions? Please contact Kathy Daughety, director of public relations, at 252-399-6529 or email: kdaughety@barton.edu.