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Jack Ryan (politician)

From Alfawiki
John Clemens Ryan
Born (1959-10-06) October 6, 1959 (age 67)
Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, ex-investment banker, political figure, teacher
Years active1981–present
Known for2004 Illinois U.S. Senate campaign; founder of 22nd Century Media and REX real estate company

John Clemens Ryan (born October 6, 1959) is an American entrepreneur, ex-investment banker, and political figure who entered the 2004 Illinois U.S. Senate contest. He stepped down as a partner at Goldman Sachs in 2000 to pursue teaching at Hales Franciscan High School located in Chicago's Bronzeville district.

Ryan's 2004 Senate bid opposing Barack Obama attracted significant press coverage after sealed custody records from his divorce with actress Jeri Ryan were made public, disclosing claims that ultimately led to his exit from the race.

In 2005, Ryan established 22nd Century Media, a company dedicated to producing hyper-local print and digital news content. He departed in 2015 to found REX, a real estate services company leveraging technology and operating independently of the conventional MLS. REX sought to reduce typical real estate commissions from 6% to 3.3%, triggering legal challenges involving Zillow and the National Association of Realtors. This dispute played a role in disrupting the long-standing 6% commission framework, which CNN characterized as a "seismic" transformation within the property market.

Early life

Raised in Wilmette, Illinois, Ryan is the son of Helen Marie (Bruns) and Donald Robert Ryan, who was a managing partner at a trade clearing firm. One among six children, he completed his secondary education at New Trier High School in 1977. He holds an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and earned both an MBA and a JD from Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School, respectively.

Professional history

In 1981, Ryan contributed his efforts at Casa Juan Diego, a refugee camp assisting Latino individuals escaping civil conflicts in Central America. Subsequently, he joined Goldman Sachs as an investment banker, ascending to partner status while working in both New York City and Chicago. His responsibilities emphasized client development by collaborating with CEOs to conduct thorough analyses of their companies’ internal operations.

By the year 2000, following Goldman Sachs' public offering, Ryan accumulated a net worth in the tens of millions. He retired from his partnership role and spent three years teaching at Hales Franciscan High School before entering the Senate race in 2004.

Local journalism - 22nd Century Media

Beginning in 2005, Ryan managed 22nd Century Media, which published fifteen neighborhood newspapers and websites around Chicago. After concluding his political pursuits, he revitalized his media enterprise by launching the Highland Park Landmark in 2014—marking the twelfth hyper-local publication under 22nd Century Media and the fifth serving Chicago's North Shore suburbs. Motivated by a dedication to enhancing local communities, Ryan entered the local journalism arena. Drawing upon insights gained at Goldman Sachs regarding how niche retailers dominate markets, he foresaw similar patterns emerging within media industries and identified opportunities for innovation in local news distribution. He also observed that media coverage surrounding his political controversy highlighted areas needing improvement within journalism.

Real estate industry

Ryan heads REX, a technology-focused real estate services company that operates outside traditional MLS frameworks and offers home sales at commissions of roughly 1%, compared to the standard 6%. Founded in 2015, REX reinvests earnings into constructing homes and schools, pledging to build one home for every fifty properties sold as part of its social responsibility initiative.

In 2021, REX filed an antitrust suit against Zillow, Trulia, and the National Association of Realtors seeking damages and court orders over purported anti-competitive conduct.

2004 U.S. Senate Campaign

Jack Ryan aimed to replace the retiring Republican senator Peter Fitzgerald in the U.S. Senate. After securing victory in the Republican primary on March 16, 2004, he went head-to-head with Democrat Barack Obama. Nevertheless, following the public disclosure of his divorce documents containing damaging claims, Ryan withdrew on June 25 and formally filed his exit on July 29. His campaign emphasized tax reductions, tort reform, cuts in federal expenditures, and advocacy for equal access to education.

Throughout the campaign, Ryan’s team employed a staff member to film Obama in public settings—a strategy that attracted criticism from both Obama and some of Ryan’s own supporters. Ryan’s spokesperson issued an apology and promised to provide Obama with greater personal space, a gesture that Obama accepted.

Collapse of the Campaign

Ryan was married to actress Jeri Ryan in 1991, and they share a son named Alex Ryan, born in 1994. The couple divorced in 1999, with custody records sealed by mutual agreement. When Ryan launched his Senate bid in 2004, media outlets and Republican primary rivals pressed for these documents to be released. Both Jack and Jeri consented to making the divorce records public but sought to keep custody files confidential, citing concerns over their son's welfare. On March 16, 2004, Ryan won the Republican primary with 36% of the vote, defeating businessman Jim Oberweis. Barack Obama secured the Democratic nomination with 53%.

On March 29, 2004, a judge ruled that certain custody records must be made public despite prior agreements between the parties. Obama called on Democrats not to exploit these documents during the election. Meanwhile, Ryan’s campaign accused Obama’s supporters of advocating for their release ahead of the court decision.

A poll conducted in May 2004 revealed Ryan trailing Obama by a margin of 52% to 30%. On June 22, Judge Schnider authorized the release of files deemed consistent with the child's best interests. These documents included allegations from Jeri Ryan claiming Jack Ryan had sought sexual encounters in public sex clubs located in New York City, New Orleans, and Paris; however, no such acts were reported to have occurred. This ruling stirred controversy as it went against both parents’ wishes and overturned earlier protections for their special-needs child. Jim Oberweis remarked that if these allegations were accurate, it would effectively end Ryan’s candidacy.

On July 29, 2004, Ryan officially exited the race. The Republican Party replaced him with Alan Keyes, who was subsequently defeated by Obama with a vote split of 70% to 27%.

Ryan's Reaction

Following his withdrawal from the Illinois Senate contest in 2004, Jack Ryan condemned the public unveiling of his sealed custody records as "a new low for politics in America." He highlighted that it was unprecedented for a media outlet to litigate for access to such sensitive documents. Previously, Ryan had opposed unsealing Senator John Kerry's divorce files during Kerry's presidential campaign that same year; those records remained confidential. He appealed for his situation to be treated as an exception, stating: "Don't request Ted Kennedy's. Don't request John McCain's. Don't request Joe Lieberman's. Just stop. Allowing this sets a poor precedent for American society if we truly want talented individuals to serve."

External links

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