Charles W. Ingler, or Bill helped develop plans for what is now Wright State University beginning in 1961. Ingler was born in Springfield, Missouri on January 22, 1922. Ingler was an UFAR First Lieutenant from 1943 until 1946 where he was an observation pilot during World War II and graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1947 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He later finished his Masters in Political Science in 1951 at Northwestern University where he was also a teaching assistant during his two year stay.
Ingler came to Ohio in 1954 where he served as the Assistant Director and later as Director of the Ohio Legislative Series Commission until 1959. Later that year he moved to Dayton and served as the Director of the Community Research, Inc., a non-profit foundation founded by the Urban Studies Bureau until 1961. In 1961 he left Community Research to serve as the Director of Public Affairs at National Cash Register Company (NCR) until 1971. During his stay at NCR he was Secretary of the Board of Trustees for Sinclair Community College (1961-1966) and then served as the Secretary for the Board of Trustees for Wright State University (1966-1971). In 1971, Ingler left Dayton, working as Associate Chancellor at the State University of New York and Vice President of Kent State.
Ingler was very passionate with the furthering of education in all communities, not just Dayton. He was awarded for his achievements in the field of education many times, even given the Special Award for Public Service to the Dayton Metropolitan Area in 1967 and many citations for meritorious services.
Ingler returned to Dayton after retirement in 1983. During retirement he served on the Carillon Historical Park governing board and volunteered on the Dayton Public Education Fund and Lower Great Miami Basin Council committees. He was active in the community until his death on December 13th, 2003.
From the guide to the Charles W. Ingler Papers, 1937-2004, 1960-1999, (Wright State University, Special Collections and Archives)
