Kevin Ryan MBA'95 is chief financial officer and senior vice president at Merit Energy Company, a private firm specializing in direct investments in oil and gas assets.
As a member of the Naveen Jindal School of Management’s Advisory Council, Kevin Ryan MBA’95 is helping steer the the school’s Realize the Vision efforts.
Ryan and his wife, Cristi, answered the call by establishing the Kevin and Cristi Ryan Opportunity Fund, with an initial investment of $10,000. This endowment supports the Jindal School, and the benefits will be received in perpetuity.
“I felt compelled to make a greater commitment to the Jindal School after serving on the advisory council for several years and experiencing firsthand the exceptional faculty and innovative research taking place on campus,” Ryan said.
“It is important for me to give back to the UT Dallas community that provided me with numerous opportunities for growth and professional development.”
Kevin Ryan, MBA'95
A graduate of the Executive MBA program, Ryan now serves as chief financial officer and senior vice president at Merit Energy Co., a private firm specializing in direct investments in oil and gas assets.
Ryan attributes much of his professional success to his educational experiences. He said his gratitude moved him to establish the Opportunity Fund. Also, Ryan’s father, Terrence Ryan, is a UT Dallas alumnus. The elder Ryan earned his bachelor’s degree in business and public administration in 1981.
“It is important for me to give back to the UT Dallas community that provided me with numerous opportunities for growth and professional development,” Kevin Ryan said. “In many of my MBA classes, we discussed organizational management, and those discussions helped me become a more strategic manager. It’s critical to make sure you’re developing the people below you, giving them opportunities and experiences so they could step into your shoes.”
A supporter of the Jindal School for more than 20 years, Ryan also serves on the UT System Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee, a leadership group that supports and provides counsel to the system’s administrative leader, Chancellor Francisco G. Cigarroa.
“I hope my gift allows others the opportunity to attend this great university and achieve their educational goals, just as I did, and be inspired to give and continue the cycle for other students,” Ryan said.