John Michael Ryan

Ryan John Michael June 20, 1935 - May 25, 2025 Age 89, of Naples, FL and Bala Cynwyd, PA, a pioneering information technology executive and adventurous climber of mountains, died peacefully on May 25th, 2025 in Naples from complications of dementia. He was born June 20, 1935 in New Rochelle, NY to Paul Ryan and Angela Connelly Ryan. The family lived in Larchmont, NY and Shaker Heights, OH. John graduated from Portsmouth Priory (now Abbey) School, Portsmouth, RI; Yale University, Class of 1957; and Harvard Business School, Class of 1959. He proudly served as '59 Class Secretary for over 50 years. After HBS, he began work with Cities Service Oil Company and Sunray DX Oil Company, Tulsa, OK, which later merged into Sun Oil Company (now Sunoco) in Philadelphia. While at Sun Oil, John was president of Sun Information Services and, in 1983, led a highly leveraged management buyout of the division to form SunGard Data Systems, which went public in 1986. After he left the company in 1988, SunGard went on to pass Sunoco in market cap in the mid-1990s and to a private equity buyout for $11 billion cash in 2005. Upon leaving SunGard John invested time and money in early-stage IT companies and was a board member of many, including Neoware, eResearch Technologies, and numerous private companies. Additionally, he advised the venture capital community as a board member of Ben Franklin Technology Partners, Rittenhouse Ventures, and Cross Atlantic Capital Partners. He was also active in Philadelphia's cultural community, serving on the boards of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and helping sustain the Philadelphia Liberty Medal. He was an expert skier into his early 80s; a competitive runner, finishing many Philadelphia Distance Runs (1/2 marathons) and two marathons; and, with his younger son David Ryan, a mountaineer all over the world, summiting Mt. Blanc; the Matterhorn; Mount Rainier; Mt. Kilimanjaro; and multiple 14,000 ft. peaks in Colorado. John married Carol Walker Ryan in 1962; they divorced in 1989 but remained friends until her death in 2017. After a 14-year courtship, he married Mary Gregg in 2005; she survives him. He is also survived by sons William Ryan (Tamra) and David Ryan (Christine) of Denver, CO and grandchildren Caitlin and Cade Ryan and John and William Ryan; and by stepchildren Stephen Gregg and Katharine Gregg Padrez (Ryan) and five step grandchildren; and by his brother Thomas Ryan (Emily), sister Anne Ryan Maguire (Richard) and former sister-in-law Barbara Ryan. Another brother, Paul Ryan, Jr., predeceased him. John and Mary traveled widely together, and with friends, and with their blended families. They enjoyed good food and wine, cats and dogs, dancing, current events, and sunsets on the Naples beach. His Memorial and Funeral Mass will be 11 A.M. Friday, June 20th, at St. Matthias Catholic Church, 128 Bryn Mawr Ave., Bala Cynwyd, PA. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the charity of your choice.