¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥

Ryan was one of Ottawa's most successful businesswomen and one of ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ most generous benefactors.

She was born Kathleen Whitton in Renfrew, Ontario and graduated from ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ with an honours degree in Economics in 1926. She married fellow ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ graduate Frank Ryan (BA'27), who became a prominent radio broadcaster after working at ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ radio station CFRC. He was also the owner and founder of CFRA radio station in Ottawa.

She took over his business interests after his death in 1964 and rapidly developed a reputation as one of the city's most astute business leaders. In 1976, she established the Kathleen Ryan Foundation at ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ to provide for the preservation of buildings in the Medical Quadrangle.

The fund helped to renovate the New Medical Building into a home for the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Archives, which was renamed Kathleen Ryan Hall in her honour in 1982. She also gave a significant grant to CFRC Radio in 1977 to help it establish a stereo signal.

Kathleen Ryan served as a University Councillor for many years. Her sister, Charlotte Whitton, was also a ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ alumna and became Canada's first female mayor when elected in Ottawa in 1950.