About Us | History
The history of four generations in the same family business since 1884
1884
Patrick W. Ryan began building railroads in Wisconsin, Illinois, and the Dakotas. Horse drawn power and steam were the common sources of power, although most of his work was performed with horses or mules and mechanical devices utilizing their power. The work was hard, the men lived in wagon camps, and were fed in cooking shacks.
1913
Patrick’s sons, operating as P.W. Ryan & Sons, while horses were still in vogue, began employing more sophisticated equipment with the dawn of the gas powered shovels. By the time the business passed down to the next generation to William H. Ryan’s sons, the business profile had changed and P.W. Ryan & Sons were recognized as one of the leading road construction firms in the Midwest.
1952
William, Thomas, and Donald Ryan began an expansion of the heavy construction business and as a result, Ryan Incorporated became nationally known with numerous contracts for Toll Roads, The Interstate System, Airports, Mining, and a wide variety of Industrial, Residential and Recreational Projects. This work was managed from six regional offices. The company’s first turnkey golf course project was built in 1968 for the Playboy Club in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
1985
As the fourth generation entered the business, William H. Ryan, named after his grandfather, took over and expanded the Florida based operations in the south and east. As the emerging golf market grew, the Ryangolf Corporation was formed under the direction of Fidel J. Garcia, a long-time member of the family business. After years of growth, Ryangolf is recognized today as one of the premier, certified golf course builders in the country.
