He worked in general business and management at IBM for 33 years before retiring to run for mayor of Pickering in 2003.
[7] Promising to attract more business development to the city, and building infrastructure to the proposed community of Seaton, Ryan defeated John Newell by over 7,000 votes in the 2006 municipal elections.
[11] in the 2018 mayoral election, Ryan faced off against former city councillor an perennial New Democratic Party candidate Eileen Hidgdon.
[16] He also denounced a car rally in May 2021 that drew hundreds of people to parking lot in the city, despite provincial COVID restrictions.
[18] In January 2022, Ryan stated his disappointment that a new regional hospital was going to be built in neighbouring Whitby rather than Pickering.
[19] In April 2022, Ryan announced he was not going to run for re-election in 2022, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.