Ryan, Tony

▪ 2008

Thomas Anthony Ryan 

      Irish aviation entrepreneur

born Feb. 2, 1936, Thurles, County Tipperary, Ire.

died Oct. 3, 2007, Celbridge, County Kildare, Ire.

founded (1985) Ryanair, which by 2007 was one of Europe's most successful budget airlines, with over 500 routes across the continent. After working (1956–75) as a manager with Aer Lingus, Ireland's national carrier, Ryan borrowed money from his employer and the merchant bank Guinness Peat Group to establish an aircraft leasing company, Guinness Peat Aviation (later changed to GPA). Although GPA collapsed in 1993 after a failed stock offering, its phenomenal early success provided Ryan with the funds to start Ryanair, which initially consisted of one 15-seat turboprop plane flying between Waterford, in southeastern Ireland, and London. In the early 1990s he turned the company over to his hand-picked successor, Michael O'Leary, but Ryan remained on board as chairman (1996–98) and director (1996–2007). He amassed a personal fortune of some $2 billion.

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