- November 14, 2024
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A man who will be remembered as a college dean, a leader among fundraisers, and a master of duct-tape repairs will be retiring this month. To celebrate Kent Ryan’s retirement, the community is invited to a party and concert June 17, at the Flagler/Palm Coast campus of Daytona State College, where he will remain the dean until June 30.
Ryan, 63, moved to Palm Coast in 1985 and influenced many circles.
“I got involved in the community and have been involved in the community ever since then,” he said.
Ryan’s career began with 23 years working for Florida Power and Light. Then, he spent five years with Florida Hospital Flagler, where he established the Florida Hospital Foundation in Ormond Beach and Flagler County. He was recruited to raise money for Daytona State College, and then transitioned to become dean.
Among Ryan’s accomplishments is the establishment, while serving as chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, of Leadership Flagler in 1992, which is still making an impact each year in the community more than two decades later.
He is also a family man. With his wife, Maureen, he has two daughters, Shannon and Casey, who graduated from Seabreeze High School.
Casey Ryan said her dad’s nickname at home is Big Ben, after the clock in England, because he is always on time and likes other people to be punctual, too.
Another quirk: “He feels that he can fix anything with duct tape,” Casey Ryan said. When she was a child, she recalled, “we went skiing one year, and we split the snow suit. He had duct tape with him and just duct-taped it up.”
She remembers her dad being involved in Bible study, Rotary, Toastmasters. “He’s met and really has made a positive touch on so many people,” she said.
Ryan’s advice for his successor? “Get involved in the community,” he said. “The college is an important component for economic development, and we need to continue making sure our students have opportunities that they can excel in once they graduate from the college.”
