Pat Ryan

Who is Pat Ryan?

Patrick G. Ryan is the founder and retired executive chairman of Aon Corporation. He served as the Chairman and CEO of the Chicago 2016 Olympic bid committee. Following the unsuccessful 2016 Chicago bid, he founded Ryan Specialty Group as a holding company aimed at providing specialty services to insurance brokers, agents and carriers. RSG’s first subsidiary, ThinkRisk, began business in December 2009 to provide underwriting and claims management services for media, technology, advertising and network security. He is also a leading benefactor of the Art Institute of Chicago Building's Modern wing addition.

In 2004, Ryan hosted President George W. Bush during a political fundraising dinner at his home in Winnetka, Illinois. Later that year, he hosted another fundraiser with President Bush's wife and daughters as special guests. In November 2008, Ryan was named one of five co-chairs for Barack Obama's inaugural committee.

Ryan is a member and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Northwestern University, where both major athletic facilities, the Welsh-Ryan Arena and Ryan Field, are named after him. In 1990, he bought 10% of the Chicago Bears.