Catawba College’s Distinguished CEO Lecture Series begins Tuesday with a speech by Bob Ingram, vice chairman of pharmaceuticals for GlaxoSmithKline.
Ingram will speak at 4 p.m. in the Peeler Crystal Lounge of the Robertson College-Community Center. The topic of his speech will be “Sound Solutions to Rising Health Care Costs.”
Ingram also chairs the GlaxoSmithKline Foundation board of directors and the national CEO Roundtable on Cancer. He is chairman of the American Cancer Society Foundation and a member of the National Cancer Advisory Board.
 In addition to his speech, Ingram will speak to several classes in the Ketner School of Business, meet with Catawba teaching scholars, tour the Center for the Environment, and speak at the induction ceremony for Kappa Delta Pi.
“What a tribute it is to Catawba’s reputation for excellence that a national business and education leader such as Bob Ingram would spend nine hours on our campus,” said Phil Kirk, Catawba’s vice president for external relations, who organized Ingram’s visit to campus. “We hope that students, faculty, staff, and members of the Salisbury community will turn out to hear his message. He will present a unique, well-informed lecture on the important issue of health care in our nation.”
 Also appearing on the lecture program will be Dr. Robert Knott, president of Catawba College; Professor Pam Thompson, chair of the Ketner School of Business; Jeff Landreth, a member of Catawba’s class of 1967 and a member of the Catawba board of visitors; Joey Popp, chair of the Ralph W. Ketner School of Business advisory board; and Kirk.
 The presenting sponsor for the lecture series is Rockwell Farms, with Ralph W. Ketner as the gold sponsor and Walker Marketing as the silver sponsor. Bronze sponsors include Robert Van Geons, Dr. and Mrs. Charles Muse, Food Lion, the Jake Alexander Companies, Community One Bank, Carolina Aircraft and NexGa Aircraft.
 The Catawba Madrigals will sing at 3:45 p.m. Music department chair Dr. Renee McCachren and Director of Catawba’s choral programs, Professor Paul Oakley, will play the piano at a reception following the lecture.
 Admission is free, but reservations should be made by calling Elaine Carothers, administrative assistant in the Ralph W. Ketner School of Business at Catawba, 704-637-4405.