$2M from Wegmans veteran Mary Ellen Burris makes University of Rochester art gallery free for all

Mary Ellen Burris, a longtime senior vice president of consumer affairs at Wegmans—the Rochester, New York-based supermarket chain—has pledged $2 million to the University of Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery to help make admission free for all. The 92-year-old retired executive, known as the public face of Wegmans for decades, is doubling down on a “give while living” philosophy. Her gift is a boost to the gallery’s $6 million endowment campaign and builds on Burris’ earlier philanthropy, reinforcing her legacy as a community leader who has long championed transparency, nutrition, and local impact.