Former Trustee

Major General Michael D. Ryan
USMC (Ret)

General Ryan enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a United States Marine. A Vietnam veteran with 120 missions over Vietnam and Laos, he later helped found the USMC’s “Top Gun” school (MAWTS-1), for which he was named Marine Corps Aviator of the Year in 1979. After a tour as Aide to the Commander of the fledgling Central Command and then to the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Ryan was chosen to command the first squadron to fly the second generation Harrier, the AV-8B. After graduating from the National War College and duty as Aide to the Commandant, he returned to MAWTS-1 as its Commander. He then served staff tours overseas and in the Pentagon until his promotion to Brigadier General in 1993. During the next five years as a General Officer, General Ryan served as the Legislative Assistant to the Commandant, Deputy Chief of Legislative Affairs to the Secretary of the Navy, Deputy Commander of the Second Marine Expeditionary Force and, from 1996-1998, as Commanding General of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing, a force of some 450 combat aircraft and 15,000 Marines and Sailors.

After retirement from the Corps and prior to joining The Livingston Group, General Ryan held the position of Executive Vice President Government Business for Rolls-Royce in North America. In his nine years with the company, General Ryan was responsible for furthering the company’s business interests and relationships with the Executive and Legislative branches of the United States and Canada. Over that period of time, Rolls-Royce’s position with the U.S. Department of Defense nearly doubled and the company’s defense portfolio grew to include positions on four of the top eight DoD aircraft programs, two multibillion dollar DoD R&D programs, the next generation destroyer and the Littoral Combat Ship. General Ryan was also involved in the establishment of Rolls-Royce’s fuel cell business and, until leaving the company, was a member of the Board of Directors of Rolls-Royce Fuel Systems, USA, Inc.

General Ryan holds a Bachelor of Arts from Siena College, is a Distinguished Graduate of The Basic School and a graduate of National War College. He is a Trustee of the Marine Corps University Foundation, serving previously as Chair of the Development Committee. He is also a non-executive director of Pursuit Dynamics, a member of the Board of Directors of the Washington Airports Task Force and a member of the Selection Committee for the prestigious Collier Trophy. In 2007, General Ryan was awarded The Distinguished American Award by the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation.