Patrick Ryan

 President, Ryan&Associates

Patrick Ryan is the President and founder of Ryan&Associates (Patrick Ryan & Associates, LLC), an editorial consulting firm based in Cookeville, Tennessee, specializing in online global affairs information resources, especially developments in the Middle East and Asia. The 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 Middle East affairs. Starting in 1973 Mr. Ryan has lived and worked in the Middle East during his military service and business career, and he 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 his blog, 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. In 2010 he was appointed to the Board of the World Affairs Councils of America, based in Washington, D.C.

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.  The enterprise was formally reestablished as Patrick Ryan & Associates, LLC, in 2009.

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 service work in Ghana.

Contact Info:  Tel: 931-261-2353 / Email: PatRyan@PatRyanAssociates.com

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

Addendum to Biography of Patrick W. Ryan - Information Regarding Middle East Specialization

US Navy Experience

  • One year tour in Bahrain aboard Middle East Force Flagship (1973)
  • Deployments (Cruiser/Carrier) to Persian Gulf/North Arabian Sea (1984, 1989)
  • Intel Analyst – Office of Naval Intelligence – Persian Gulf Crisis Action Team (1986)
  • Intel Analyst at JCS Joint Staff J2  – Desert Shield/Storm (1990-91)
  • Intel Analyst at Center for Naval Analysis – Gulf projects (1994-1995)
  • Intel Branch Chief, CENTCOM J2 (WMD/Terrorism) (1995-1996)
  • CENTCOM J2 Executive Officer (1996-1997)
  • Director Central Intelligence ‘Exceptional Intelligence Analyst Program’  (Terrorism) 1997-1998
    [Retired 1998 – US Navy, LCDR, Intelligence (1630)]

Non-Government

  • Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, National Council on US-Arab Relations (1999)

Business

  • Founder and Editor in Chief, GulfWire e-newsletter service (1999-2005)
  • Manager ArabiaLink.com (1999-Present)
  • Founder and Editor in Chief, Saudi-US Relations Information Service (2003-Present)
  • Founder and Editor in Chief, Saudi-British Relations Information Service (2010-Present)

Resource

  • Regular contact for media interests/interviews: BBC, FoxNews, NY Times, Washington Post, CNN
  • Guest lecturer on Middle East affairs: University of Tennessee, Tennessee Technological University, Belmont University, civic organizations

Travel

  • Frequent member of delegations and independent travel to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf destinations.  Regular attendee and participant in all relevant Saudi Arabian-US and other Middle East conferences and symposia.

Interviewer of Major Figures in Middle East Affairs

New Projects – online resources addressing US-Qatar and US-UAE relations.