John William Ryan

Although he devoted his career to public policy, John was a gardener at heart, and had the soul of an artist. If he couldn’t be on the Maine coast smelling the ocean, or in Northern California with the smell of pine needles warming in the sun, he was happiest wandering around his garden with his husband Tom and their dog Lucy. He could spend hours combing through gardening catalogs or watching Gardener’s World on the BBC and his no-spray garden was a haven for bees, birds, and butterflies. He loved watching his shubunkin goldfish in their modernist lily pond, and took delight when little shubunkins started appearing after the first year. Despite being a devotee of the music of the 1970s, and never being seen with a People magazine, he somehow knew everything going on in popular culture at any given moment. He loved to giggle at silly jokes, and was particularly taken with Tom’s shaggy dog stories that usually ended in a surprise pun. John loved spending time with family and friends, sharing a “minerally” white wine, a peaty scotch, or an ice-cold martini.

Most of all, John was kind and warm to everyone he met, was a devoted friend and supportive colleague, was hospitable and generous, and rarely put himself first.

Before moving to Washington, DC in 1988, John earned a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. The son of a community banker, John found his career path in Washington in financial services public policy, and devoted his career to promoting and defending the state banking system as critical to consumer protection and economic stability and growth. Since 2011, John was President and CEO of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) where he had worked since 1997. Prior to that, John led the financial services consulting practice at Newmyer Associates and spent four years on the professional staff of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs. In 1993, John received a fellowship from the Commission of the European Union to work in its financial institutions directorate in Brussels, Belgium.

John is survived by his husband and partner of 20 years, Thomas J. Otto, his mother Jane Bauer Ryan of Orinda, California, his brothers Jim (Lisa Philbrick) of Jackson, Wyoming and Jeff (Claire Ferguson) of Austin, Texas, and nephews and nieces Trevor, Tara, Christopher, and Sean Ryan, and Olivia and Philip Tudor. John was predeceased by his father James L. Ryan.

In addition to a celebration of his life in Washington hosted by CSBS in June, a memorial service will be held for John in the East Bay on or around his birthday on July 22nd.

Kindly consider making a donation to Doctors Without Borders in John's name. https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/secure/donate