Fred Ryan

Frederick Joseph Ryan Jr. (born April 12, 1955) is an American media entrepreneur, political adviser, author and lawyer who served as the publisher and chief executive officer of The Washington Post from 2014 to 2023. He was the president and chief operating officer of Allbritton Communications Company and founding chief executive officer and president of Politico. He was the chief of staff for former President Ronald Reagan from 1989 to 1995 and is chairman of the board of trustees of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.

Early life
Ryan was born on April 12, 1955, in Tampa, Florida. His parents, Fred and Beth Ryan, were both military veterans. He grew up on military bases in the US and abroad.

Education
In 1977, Ryan graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Southern California. In 1980, Ryan graduated with honors from the USC Law School.

In 2019, before delivering the commencement address, Ryan received an honorary doctorate degree from Wake Forest University.

Attorney
Ryan was an attorney in the Los Angeles, California law firm of Hill, Farrer and Burrill before joining the successful 1980 Reagan-Bush presidential campaign.

White House years
Ryan began serving at the White House in February 1982 during the Reagan administration as Deputy Director of Presidential Appointments and Scheduling. He was appointed a year later to the position of Director of Presidential Appointments and Scheduling. In 1985, Ryan was appointed by the President to head the White House Office of Private Sector Initiatives, as well as maintaining his position as Director of Presidential Appointments and Scheduling.

While on the White House staff, Ryan conceived and directed the International Conference on Private Sector Initiatives which took place in Paris, France. It led to subsequent gatherings at Private Sector Initiatives conferences in Italy and the United Kingdom involving top global CEOs and senior government officials.

On November 4, 1987, President Reagan personally appointed Ryan to be Assistant to the President, the highest level of staff position in the White House.

When President Reagan left office on January 20, 1989, he and First Lady Nancy Reagan returned to California. Ryan was selected to be the former President's Chief of Staff. During this time, Ryan was responsible for the establishment and operation of Reagan's office in Century City. He was also instrumental in the design, fundraising, planning, and overseeing the construction of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Ryan left his position as Chief of Staff in 1995. A year earlier, President Reagan had announced to the world that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Media career
Following his service as Chief of Staff to former President Reagan, Ryan became vice-chairman of the television, cable, and internet company Allbritton Communications. As President and COO of the company, he managed its multiple broadcast and cable properties.

In 2007, Ryan co-founded Politico, a politically focused website and newspaper. Under his leadership as president and CEO, Politico received its first Pulitzer Prize and was recognized by Fast Company Magazine for Excellence as one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies" in March 2010. In the May 2013 issue of Washington Life, the impact of Politico was noted with Ryan's inclusion in the "Power 100" list of the One Hundred Most Influential People in Washington.

In September 2014, Jeff Bezos, owner of The Washington Post, named Ryan Publisher and CEO, signaling a new digitally focused direction for the publication. In a Post town hall in December 2022, Ryan announced plans to make cuts to staff, but did not remain for follow-up questions.

Reagan Foundation
In 1995, Ryan became the chairman of the board of trustees for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. He manages the foundation and takes part in Reagan Presidential Library events, with a mission of "preserving Ronald Reagan's legacy."

Under Ryan's chairmanship, the Reagan Foundation garnered the "crown jewel" of President artifacts by obtaining Air Force One, the Presidential Aircraft that had flown Reagan and six other Presidents of the United States. Through funds contributed by his friend T. Boone Pickens and other donors, the Air Force One Museum was built at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA. Ryan also led the launch of the Ronald Reagan Institute, a Washington-based policy center affiliated with the Reagan Presidential Foundation.

Ryan made a personal contribution of his own to the Reagan Presidential Library by purchasing the Ronald Reagan Pub in County Tipperary, Ireland while visiting it on a family vacation in 2004. The working pub was completely disassembled and transported by container ship to Los Angeles where it was reassembled under the wing of Air Force One at the Reagan Presidential Library. Presidential journalist, Hugh Sidey, joined in for the formal dedication of the Ronald Reagan Pub at the Library. In making the gift, Ryan expressed his pride in his Irish heritage which may account for the reason he and his wife host a large St. Patrick's Day party at their Potomac, MD home each year.

Ryan headed the team that organized the moving national tribute and funeral for Ronald Reagan in June 2004. He was a Pall Bearer at President Reagan's request.

Ryan headed the year-long celebration of Ronald Reagan's 100th Birthday in 2011. President Obama appointed him to the bipartisan Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission created by an act of Congress. Ryan was elected Chairman of the commission by the bipartisan group of United States Senators and Members of Congress that served on the commission with him. Events were held across the country and in major European Capitals celebrating the impact of Reagan policies in promoting freedom and democracy.

In the years following the Reagan Administration, Ryan was very close to Nancy Reagan and is said to have advised her on important matters.

White House Historical Association
Ryan has served as a Director of the White House Historical Association since 2001. From 2012-2022, Ryan served as Chairman of White House Historical Association.

As part of the "Campaign for White House History", Ryan worked with First Ladies Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, Melania Trump and Jill Biden as well as former First Family members of both political parties to provide funding for educational and preservation projects for the White House.

David M. Rubenstein, former White House aide and philanthropist, supported this effort through a $10 million gift to create the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History. Another major project of the fundraising campaign was the White House Visitors Center.

Other activities
While working in the Reagan White House, Ryan was introduced to Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales. This led to a joint meeting of British and American Business Leaders that encouraged corporate social responsibility and support of private sector initiatives. Over the years since then, Ryan has served as a Patron of the Prince of Wales Foundation and as a member of the Board of Director of Duchy USA, the Prince's corporate initiative in the United States.

Ryan served as co-chairman of the Advisory Committee on Presidential Libraries, a nonpartisan group formed by the Archivist of the United States and was a member of the advisory board for the National Museum of American History. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Southern California, the Board of Councilors for the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism at USC, the Ford's Theatre Board of Trustees and the Board of Trustees of the National Geographic Society.

A program obtained from the elite Alfalfa Club Dinner in January 2014 indicated that Ryan is the Secretary of that secretive organization.

Ryan is the editor of Ronald Reagan: The Wisdom and Humor of the Great Communicator, published by HarperCollins in 1995, and Ronald Reagan: The Great Communicator, published by HarperCollins in 2001.

While in college, Ryan studied and competed in martial arts. On June 17, 1977, he obtained his black belt in Kenpo Karate. Later, he was awarded a second-degree black belt.