Martha Ingram Biography & Net Worth

Martha Ingram is a well-respected and successful businesswoman from the United States of America. She is probably most recognized for her profession in the business world where she served as the Chairman of Ingram Industries. Born on August 20, 1935, in Charleston, South Carolina, US, Mrs. Ingram graduated from Vassar College and started working at the WCSC-AM/FM radio station and WCSC-TV station for her first job. In 1958, she married E. Bronson Ingram (now deceased) and went on to support him by raising their four children while he concentrated on building the family’s business. Her husband encouraged her to join the business in 1979 and she became the Director of Public Affairs at Ingram Industries. When her husband died in 1995, she immediately took the vacant slot of the chairman of the board. Martha is also the co-author of three books. Today, the company, Ingram Industries, is composed of different arms of businesses including Ingram Marine Group, Ingram Insurance Group, and Ingram Book Group. On the other hand, Ingram Entertainment was purchased by Martha Ingram’s son, David. One of her sons, Orrin is the president and chief executive officer of the group while John serves as the chairman. Her only daughter, Robin, is also involved in the family’s business where she serves as a member of the company’s board of directors. More details regarding the life, career, and accomplishments of this gifted woman and her family have been provided in the article below.

Early Life

The billionaire businesswoman and philanthropist, Martha Robinson Rivers Ingram, was born on August 20, 1935, in Charleston, South Carolina, in the United States. Her parents were Martha Elizabeth Robinson and John Minott Rivers.

She graduated from Ashley Hall in Charleston before joining Vassar College from which she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in history in 1957.

Professional Life

After earning her bachelor’s degree, Martha Ingram joined WCSC-AM/FM and WCSC-TV to mark the start of her career. It was a radio and television station company that her father owned and managed.

Many years later, she became the director of public affairs at Ingram Industries as appointed by her husband. In 1995, following the death of her husband, she became chairman and chief executive officer.

She is the co-author of three books.

Apart from her active involvement in business, Mrs. Ingram is also very active in philanthropy. In fact, it is quite rare to find someone as devoted as this woman when it comes down to the humanitarian aspect of her life. She was a co-founder of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center which was established in 2005. Previously, she served as the board chairman of Vanderbilt University in Nashville. The Vanderbilt Blair School of Music is a beneficiary of her kindness as it has received $300 million of Ingram company stock.

Achievements

In 1999, Martha Ingram was inducted into the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame in recognition of her worthy contributions to business through her late husband’s company, Ingram Industries. That same year, she was elected into the Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame.

In 2004, she received her first (and only) Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement. She was named by Business Week as the 50th most generous philanthropist for all her donations to several institutions and organizations from 2000 to 2004.

The year 2006 came with more gifts and honors for the businesswoman. She was honored with a Joe Kraft Humanitarian Award by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee in recognition of her philanthropic efforts. She was also honored with the Eli & Edythe Broad Award for Philanthropy in the Arts.

Personal Life

On October 4, 1958, Martha and her husband E. Bronson Ingram II were united in holy matrimony at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. He was the great-grandson of Orrin Henry Ingram, grandson of Erskine B. Ingram, and son of business magnate Orrin Henry Ingram, Sr. They had three sons and a daughter.

Their first son, Orrin H. Ingram II, was born in 1960. He is the chairman of Ingram Barge Company and the chief executive officer of Ingram Industries. Their middle son, John R. Ingram, was born a year after the birth of their first son. He is currently the chairman of the Ingram Industries, the Ingram Content Group, and Lightning Source. David Bronson Ingram, their third son, was born in 1962. He is the president and chairman of Ingram Entertainment.

Martha Ingram Net Worth

Martha Ingram has a net worth of $4 billion dollars at the moment, thanks to her dedication to business through her late husband’s company, Ingram Industries, which has handed her a massive fortune in addition to the prominence she currently enjoys. She is listed as one of the richest people in Tennessee and one of the world’s richest women. She stepped down as the chairman of Ingram Industries in 2008 and does not concern herself with anything related to the company.

A dedicated philanthropist as well, Martha Ingram, born in Charleston, South Carolina, relocated to Nashville, Tennessee following her marriage and was able to contribute to the development of the Nashville art scene. She developed the Schermerhorn Symphony Center and the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and was later appointed to the advisory board of the Kennedy Center. She also served as chairperson of the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust.