Ryan earned a graduate degree at the University of Pennsylvania before taking a job as an assistant athletic director at Merrimack College in 1964.
He took a job with the New England Whalers in 1972, serving as assistant general manager during their initial season of World Hockey Association play.
Ryan then worked in several other front office roles for the Whalers and later served as president of SportsChannel, a cable sports network.
[3] Ryan joined the Philadelphia Flyers in 1988 as an executive vice president, and was named the chief operating officer of the team in 1991.
[4][5] He is married to Brenda, a French teacher,[6] and the father of actress Blanchard Ryan, who is also an avid ice hockey fan.