Ryan is Commissioner of the Londonderry Port & Harbour Commission, appointed by the Minister for Infrastructure. He was previously an Ulster Unionist councillor. Ryan previously served twenty years within the Ministry of Defence as a regular and now holds a Commission within the Army Reserves. In a business capacity, he is a counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) consultant within the Defence & Security sectors. Ryan has recently ventured into the eco-tourism sector featuring off-grid and renewable sustainment operating models. He is married with three children.