Philip Strong, a former employee of Ingredion, Inc., has filed a lawsuit against the company alleging age discrimination and retaliation. The complaint was filed on November 26, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Strong claims that Ingredion violated the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) by treating him unfavorably due to his age and retaliating against him for asserting his rights.
According to the court documents, Philip Strong began working with Ingredion on February 12, 2001, as a Project Leader. Despite his dedication and performance exceeding expectations, Strong alleges that he faced discrimination primarily from his manager Jing Wang, who is younger than him. In March 2023, after working long hours during a strike at an Iowa location without adequate recognition or compensation adjustments, Strong received a lackluster performance review that he believes was influenced by age bias. “Other younger Project Leaders were recognized for time and effort substantially similar to mine,” he stated in his complaint.
Strong further recounts several instances where he voiced concerns about unfair treatment to senior management but received no remedial action. In July 2024, he discussed these issues with Senior Director Christopher Plant and later sent emails expressing dissatisfaction with Ms. Wang’s management style. By October 2024, despite raising issues regarding career advancement stagnation and merit increases not matching inflation rates, Strong felt ignored and sidelined.
The situation escalated when Strong received another poor performance review in early 2025 based on what he describes as fabricated feedback. His termination followed shortly thereafter on February 25, 2025, without any given reason and denial of bonuses or accrued leave payouts. “My termination was motivated by my age and retaliatory measures for my complaints,” Strong asserts.
Strong seeks legal relief including lost wages and benefits, compensatory damages for emotional distress caused by hostile work conditions, punitive damages for willful misconduct by Ingredion’s management team, interest on lost earnings, attorney fees, and other costs associated with this litigation.
Representing Philip Strong is Anthony J. Peraica from Anthony J. Peraica & Associates Ltd., while the case is overseen by judges from the Northern District of Illinois under Case ID: 1:25-cv-14468.
Source: 125cv14468_Philip_Strong_v_Ingredion_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Illinois.pdf
