About Ryan

Ryan is proud of his roots in Northern Michigan. He was born and grew up in Petoskey, before attending the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. After graduating with a degree in Engineering, Ryan worked as an Efficiency Engineer in the automotive industry in Detroit. He was laid off when the economy initially faltered in 2001 and moved to Washington, DC in August that year. He witnessed firsthand the events at the Pentagon on September 11th, and began in public service on Capitol Hill months later.

After more than four years on the Hill, working for both Republicans and Democrats, Ryan moved back to Michigan to begin serving the communities here. He managed a campaign for a State Senate candidate south of Detroit, where he spoke with thousands of voters about the crucial issues facing their towns and neighborhoods, many of which were hardest hit by the transitioning economy. He listened to stories of those involved in mass plant layoffs, of the overwhelmingly bleak outlook of citizens no matter their job or situation, of how they were committed to staying in Michigan, but needed help to continue making ends meet. He organized town hall meetings and advocated on behalf of local citizens in a fight against eminent domain that would have sacked several family farms - taking their concerns straight to the Governor's office.

When the campaign ended, Ryan moved north to Detroit to open his own small business to assist displaced workers and people throughout Michigan, to help them find work. He launched Hiresite.com in early 2007 and based it in downtown Detroit, a city many believed couldn’t attract any new businesses. After only one month, he had signed on over 200 Michigan companies who were hiring, to post their jobs and career events on the site. He continued to grow Hiresite, as large and small Michigan-based employers used it to advertise over 500 of their good paying jobs. A year later, however, the news from the city made it difficult to re-enlist businesses and to acquire funding. Ryan’s business slowed down, but he did not.

He moved back to his hometown and began working at the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce on weekends. He also assisted State Representative Gary McDowell with his re-election campaign in 2008. After the race, Ryan worked the midnight shift at a local manufacturing plant, and then became a project coordinator for Freshwater Future, an organization known for protecting the Great Lakes by supporting local grassroots efforts. Presently, Ryan is an Executive Recruiter for Financial Search Group in Petoskey, a firm that, for almost twenty years, has helped accounting and finance professionals with their job search in Michigan and throughout the Midwest.

Besides work, Ryan is active in his community and church, the United Methodist Church in Petoskey. He serves on the Board of the First Tee in Harbor Springs. He is a member of the Historical Society of Michigan, the local Eagles Post, Ducks Unlimited and the National Rifle Association, and he participates in the CROP Hunger Walk and the Walk to Cure Lupus each year.