Editor-in-Chief, Saudi-US Relations Information Service
President & Founder, Tennessee World Affairs Council
President, Ryan & Associates
Patrick Ryan is the President and founder of Ryan and Associates, an editorial consulting firm based in Cookeville, Tennessee, specializing in online global affairs information resources, especially developments in the Middle East and Asia. His consulting firm, established in 1999 in Washington, DC, brings together writers, researchers, web design and development specialists and other professionals to deliver customized editorial solutions to an international client list. Among Ryan & Associates’ projects are a family of online resources addressing US-Saudi relations and British-Saudi relations and developments in the Arab world. Since 1973 Mr. Ryan has lived and worked in the Middle East and is a regular traveler to the region. He has contributed to television, radio and print reporting on Middle East affairs. He writes a regular column on global affairs for the “Herald-Citizen” and his writing is featured on ThePatRyanReport.com.
In 2007 Mr. Ryan organized a group of concerned citizens to launch Tennessee’s first World Affairs Council, to bring global awareness education programs and resources to communities and schools in the state. He is President and Chairman of the Board of the Council, which is based at Belmont University in Nashville.
Mr. Ryan was born and raised in New York City. At age 17 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he served a 26-year career, assigned first in the Persian Gulf in 1973 followed by assignments in the Submarine Service where he attained the rank of Chief Petty Officer. Mr. Ryan received a BA degree at the University of South Carolina, in 1981, majoring in International Studies followed by commissioning in the Navy as an Ensign. Mr. Ryan served aboard numerous ships, headquarters staffs and overseas assignments before retiring in 1998 as a Lieutenant Commander. Among his assignments were the Joint Staff in the Pentagon, the Center for Naval Analyses, and US Central Command headquarters. He has lived and worked in Bahrain, Italy and Japan and has traveled to about 50 countries for work and leisure.
Mr. Ryan worked as defense consultant after retiring from the military and before taking the position as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the National Council on US-Arab Relations, a non-profit educational organization in Washington. In 1999 he founded Ryan & Associates, which moved to Tennessee in 2001.
Mr. Ryan was President of the Cookeville Breakfast Rotary 2008-2009. He is co-Chair of the Rotary Ghana Project, which provides clean water, school literacy and medical support humanitarian projects to villages in Western Ghana. He was awarded “Rotarian of the Year” for 2009-2010 for his work in Ghana.
Education:
2005-2006 University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN
Completed courses in the Political Science Masters Program.
1985-1986 Georgetown University Washington, DC
Completed courses in the National Security Studies Masters Program
1980-1981 University of South Carolina Columbia, SC
BA, International Studies
1977-1980 University of Maryland, European Division Naples, Italy
Completed courses toward degree; Major – History
1968-1972 Brooklyn Technical High School Brooklyn, NY
Community:
- Member of the Board, World Affairs Councils of America, Washington, DC (2010-Present)
- Rotary – President (2008-2009), Vice President (2006-2007), Secretary (2004-2005) and Member, Cookeville Breakfast Rotary Club (2001-Present)
- Chairman, Rotary Golf Classic Fundraising Tournament (2005-2009)
- Co-Chair, Rotary Ghana Project (2009-Present ) www.RotaryGhanaProject.com
- Member of the Board, International Community Hosting Association (2009-Present)
- Mandala Award for International Understanding (2009)
- Rotarian of the Year (2009-2010), Cookeville Breakfast Rotary Club
- Chairman, Troop Committee, BSA Troop 108, Cookeville, TN (2006)
- American Legion, Post 46, Cookeville, TN
- Leadership Putnam Class of 2004
- Naval Intelligence Professionals
- U.S. Submarine Veterans
- Middle East Studies Association
- Military Officers Association of America
