American capitalist, born at Hancock, MI, on the 10th of October 1864. He was educated in the public schools, for eight years was clerk in an uncle’s store, and at the age of twenty-five went to Denver, where he was employed as a salesman of lubricating oils. In 1901 he secured an interest in a bank at Butte. In 1904 he was made manager of the Amalgamated Copper Co. in Montana, and after the death of Henry H. Rogers, in 1908, he succeeded him as president. He had been elected president of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. in 1905, and after the merging of the Amalgamated interests in the Anaconda in 1910 he continued as president of the latter until 1918. He developed large water powers in Montana, and in 1913 electrified the railway between Butte and Anaconda (100 m.), the success of which led to a wide introduction of electrification. By 1920 hydroelectric power from the Montana Power Co. organized by Ryan was used in most of the mines of Montana and for lighting in all parts of the state. During 1917–18 Ryan was a member of the war council of the American Red Cross and after 1918 of its central committee. After the failure of America’s aircraft programme had led to a reorganization, he was appointed in April 1918 head of the Aircraft Board of the Committee of National Defence, and in August was appointed second assistant-secretary of war and director of air service of the U.S. army. After the signing of the Armistice in November he resigned. Official investigation was made later, and Ryan was both attacked and defended. It was generally felt that the newly organized board fell heir to popular criticism of past failures for which it was not responsible, and the short time before the Armistice scarcely afforded opportunity to develop efficient production. In 1919 Ryan was elected chairman of the board of directors of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, and he took a prominent part in connection with other commercial and financial concerns.
