Evelyn C. Ingram, Director of Community and Media Relations, Wegmans; Co-Owner The Castle
Evelyn C. Ingram, a native of Long Island, New York currently serves as Director, Community and Media Relations for the Central New York Region of Wegmans Food Markets. In this role, her primary responsibilities are oversight of activities in the media relations, community investment and consumer affairs arenas. She also serves as the company’s regional spokesperson.
Evelyn is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University where she majored in public relations. She is also a graduate of LeMoyne College where she received a master’s in business administration in Human Resources. In May 2018, Evelyn was honored by Onondaga Community College (OCC) as the recipient of an Honorary Degree which is the highest form of recognition offered by OCC. It recognizes persons of exceptional distinction who have demonstrated meritorious service to the college and the community at large.
Her professional experience includes managerial positions of increasing responsibility in the fields of public relations, marketing and human resources at United Technologies Carrier Corporation and Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Company. Evelyn is a graduate of Leadership Greater Syracuse and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Centerstate CEO (Vice Chair), the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, the Salvation Army, the United Way of Central New York (Immediate Past Chair) and WCNY Public Broadcasting Corporation (Emeritus). She is also a former Board Member of the Central New York Community Foundation and Hillside Work Scholarship Connection.
Evelyn served as Chair for the Go Red for Women campaign sponsored by the American Heart Association in both 2015 and 2018. She was the first to serve in this capacity for multiple years. Both campaigns significantly exceeded campaign goals and realized the highest amount of dollars raised in the history of these campaign for this region.
Evelyn is proud member Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. the first Greek-lettered sorority established by African American college women whose primary aim is help alleviate problems concerning girls and women to improve their social stature and to be of service to all mankind. Evelyn is President of the Syracuse (NY) Chapter of The Links Incorporated, one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women of color who are committed to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.
Evelyn and her husband Chino acquired a 30,000 plus square foot vacant historic church, formerly known as the South Presbyterian church on the Southside of Syracuse, with the intention of renovating it into a multi-use event center consisting of elegant event space, a networking lounge, and a training center. They are calling it, “The Castle.” This project will provide catalytic change to Southside providing economic revitalization, jobs and job training, and a unique option for entertainment representing all cultures.
Evelyn is the proud mother of one son, Austin, who is currently pursuing his passion of becoming a multimedia sound engineer.
Evelyn stives daily to bring people together in collaboration and cooperation. She attributes her compassionate spirit to being raised in a Christiaan household by loving parents. She lives by the word of this song, “If I can Help Somebody as I pass along, then my living shall not be in vain.”
Evelyn is “thankful for the many blessings in her life” and feels a strong commitment to help others be their best selves and live their best lives.