Fred Ryan

Biography

Frederick J. Ryan, Jr. is Publisher and CEO of The Washington Post. During his time at The Washington Post, it has been recognized for excellence in journalism with multiple Pulitzer Prizes, and twice named by Fast Company Magazine as the “World’s Most Innovative Media Company.”

Until August 2014, he served as President and CEO of POLITICO, which he co-founded in 2007.

From 1989 until 1995, he served as Chief of Staff to former President Ronald Reagan. He was responsible for overseeing all of President Reagan’s activities including domestic and international issues, government relations, political affairs and public relations. He served as President Reagan’s personal representative in numerous meetings with Heads of State around the world, as well as leaders of the international business community.

From 1982 to 1989, Mr. Ryan served on the White House Staff, and was Assistant to the President of the United States, one of the youngest people ever to serve in such a position. His responsibilities in the White House included directing Presidential Appointments and Scheduling, where he was responsible for long-range strategic planning and communications strategy for the White House. He served on the 1984 Reagan/Bush re-election team.

Mr. Ryan also served as Director of the White House Private Sector Initiatives program where he was the President’s liaison to the American and international business communities. He conceived and directed the International Conference on Private Sector Initiatives (Paris, France 1986), the Italian-American Conference on Private Sector Initiatives (Milan and Venice, Italy 1987) and the British-American Conference on Private Sector Initiatives (London, England 1988). These unique gatherings included Chief Executive Officers of major international corporations, the Prime Ministers of France and England, the President of the United States and His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.

Prior to joining the White House Staff, Mr. Ryan was an attorney with the Los Angeles law firm of Hill, Farrer & Burrill. While engaged in his practice, he published several articles on various aspects of the law. He is presently a member in good standing of the State Bar of California, the District of Columbia Bar and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. Ryan is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation. He is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the White House Historical Association and serves on the Board of several other nonprofit organizations including the University of Southern California, Ford’s Theatre, The National Geographic Society, National Geographic Partners, and the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.

Mr. Ryan is the editor of Ronald Reagan: The Wisdom and Humor of The Great Communicator, published by Harper Collins in 1995, and Ronald Reagan: The Great Communicator, published by Harper Collins in 2001. He was Executive Producer of the highly acclaimed video of the Reagan Presidency, entitled The Reagan Years. He is author of Wine in the White House, published by the White House Historical Association in 2020.

Mr. Ryan graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Southern California in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Speech Communication. He then attended the University of Southern California Law Center where he received his Juris Doctor and graduated with an academic honor in 1980.