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RALEIGH, N.C. — The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Research Triangle Chapter, together with RTI International, is delighted to announce a fellowship award in honor of Robert A. Ingram, acknowledging his exceptional commitment to excellence in board governance and inclusive leadership throughout his tenure as a director.
The fellowship, which was approved by RTI’s board of governors and the board of NACD Research Triangle, will be open to NACD members and nonmembers in the Research Triangle area and Eastern North Carolina who exhibit high potential for public or private company board service.
About Robert A. Ingram
Robert A. Ingram, “Bob,” passed away on March 24, 2023, at age 80. He served for more than a dozen years on the board of governors of RTI, a 65-year-old nonprofit research institute headquartered in North Carolina. Throughout his tenure, from November 2010 to December 2022, Bob served on the Compensation and Strategic Talent Committee. He served as chair of the committee from 2019 until his retirement from the board.
“Bob was a remarkable leader and an even more amazing person,” said RTI president Tim Gabel. “We were fortunate to have him as a member of our board of governors for 12 years. His passing is a great loss for our region and state and for those of us who were lucky enough to know him.”
Ingram was a longtime member of NACD and the recipient of the organization’s B. Kenneth West Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. He mentored countless individuals in his professional role as CEO and chair of GlaxoWellcome, and later as vice chair of pharmaceuticals at GSK and general partner at Hatteras Venture Partners. His corporate board service, in addition to RTI, included Cree Inc. (now Wolfspeed), BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, and Novan Inc.
“Our RTI board friend and colleague Bob Ingram leaves a remarkable legacy of excellence in the board room,” said Hilda Pinnix-Ragland, vice chair of the RTI board of governors and member of the NACD Research Triangle Chapter’s board of directors. “Acknowledged as a kind, thoughtful, compassionate leader, Bob was respectful of everyone regardless of their level or background. He clearly was years ahead of his time as he worked for an inclusive environment with an economically viable community,” she said. “If only we had more Bob Ingrams in the world.”
The Fellowship
The Robert A. Ingram Fellowship for Excellence in Board Governance will be open to NACD members and nonmembers seeking NACD Directorship Certification®. As the leading director credential in the United States, the NACD Directorship Certification program provides rigorous governance content, comprehensive preparation, and a credentialing exam.
Those selected as Ingram Fellow can pursue the NACD.DC designation through either the NACD Directorship Certification program (open to current NACD members who are directors of a private, public, and/or nonprofit organization) or NACD Accelerate, a boardroom readiness program for high-performing executives. The NACD Accelerate program, designed for nonmembers of NACD, includes membership and the opportunity to earn NACD Directorship Certification.
The Ingram Fellowship will offer two items for each winner:
- Fifty percent of the total investment toward the NACD.DC credential (NACD Directorship Certification).
For NACD Individual Members: $2,450 (50 percent of the $4,900 cost)
For NACD Corporate Members: $1,875 (50 percent of the $3,750 cost)
For nonmembers enrolling in NACD Accelerate: $3,250 (50 percent of the $6,500 cost)
- Complimentary registration to two NACD Research Triangle Chapter events, including one of the signature Leading from the Boardroom programs.
Application Process
NACD members and nonmembers are eligible to apply. Self-nomination and nomination by a third party are both acceptable.
Candidates for the Ingram Fellowship will meet the following criteria:
- demonstrates high potential for public or private company board service (if not already serving on a public or private board)
- serves in a senior leadership position at a company headquartered in the Research Triangle Park region (Raleigh-Durham-Cary Combined Statistical Area) or eastern North Carolina, within the footprint of the NACD Research Triangle Chapter
- serves on a nonprofit board of directors, with total nonprofit board experience of more than two years
- has attended at least one NACD Research Triangle Chapter program in the last year (note: candidates may qualify by attending a 2024 chapter program prior to the application deadline)
- provides the name and contact information for three people to support the nomination, including a current employer and at least one NACD member in the chapter’s footprint or a sponsor of the NACD Research Triangle Chapter
- provides a résumé
- provides short answers to the following questions, totaling no more than 500 words each:
o Why are you interested in becoming an Ingram Fellow?
o What resonates with you about Bob Ingram’s vision and legacy?
o Why do you think you would be a good candidate for a corporate board role?
The application and more information on the fellowship can be found at the NACD Research Triangle Chapter website.
Application deadline is Friday, March 1, at 5 p.m. ET.
Ingram Fellows will be announced in mid-April. Members of the current NACD Research Triangle Chapter board, NACD Chapter staff, and employees of RTI International are ineligible to apply.
About RTI International
RTI International is an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Clients rely on us to answer questions that demand an objective and multidisciplinary approach — one that integrates expertise across the social and laboratory sciences, engineering and international development. We believe in the promise of science, and we are inspired every day to deliver on that promise for the good of people, communities and businesses around the world. For more information, visit www.rti.org.
About NACD
The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) is the premier membership organization for board directors who want to expand their knowledge, grow their network, and maximize their potential. As the unmatched authority in corporate governance, NACD sets the standards of excellence through its research and community-driven director education, programming, and publications. Directors trust NACD to arm them with the relevant insights to make high-quality decisions on the most pressing and strategic issues facing their businesses today.
NACD also prepares leaders to meet tomorrow's biggest challenges. The NACD Directorship Certification® is the leading director credential in the United States. It sets a new standard for director education, positions directors to meet boardroom challenges, and includes an ongoing education requirement that prepares directors for what is next.
With an ever-expanding community of approximately 24,000 members and a nationwide chapter network, our impact is both local and global. NACD members are driven by a common purpose: to be trusted catalysts of economic opportunity and positive change—in business and in the communities we serve. To learn more about NACD, visit nacdonline.org.
For more information, contact Joan Siefert Rose, executive director, NACD Research Triangle Chapter at executivedirector@researchtriangle.nacdonline.org
