"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." — President Teddy Roosevelt

Since 2006, Ryan Yantis has been the Pritzker Military Library's first full-time Executive Director. His primary focus is to develop annual and long range plans and policies while increasing the visibility of the Library as a major venue for military history and the representations of the Citizen-Soldier in our democratic process and republic to an ever-expanding audience.

With his current duties, he has the honor to read works by the best military historians, biographers, scholars, journalist and writers.  He also gets to meet the finest people America produces — our Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen, and their families.

This September the Library received a nomination for an Emmy for its "Front & Center" program and previously was a Webby Award Official Honoree in two categories (Podcasting and the 2007 Season of Events).

Prior to his appointment, Ryan served over 22 years in the U.S. Army, including command and staff positions in Cavalry support and headquarters units and organizations.  He served in over 30 countries in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East in addition to assignments in New York City, Washington D.C., and Chicago.  His public relations experience included integrated communications, media relations, crisis management, and community relations experience.

Ryan was in the Pentagon assigned to the Army Staff during the 9-11 Attack and was decorated for his actions on that day.  He facilitated hundreds of interviews with Army survivors, family members and leaders leading up to the first anniversary.  His efforts contributed to the Army winning the Silver Anvil, the Public Relations Society of America's premier award for communications excellence.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Missouri-Columbia and is a graduate of the Department of Defense Program in Joint Communications at the University of Oklahoma.  His military education includes the Command and General Staff College, the Combined Arms and Services Staff School, the Public Affairs Officer Course, the Cavalry Officer Basic Course, the Armor Officer Advance Course and other military schools.

Ryan is a member of the Union League Club of Chicago, the American Legion, and the Association of the United States Army.  He is a member of the 2009 Chicago Medal of Honor Convention Committee and  volunteers with several other organizations and supports the USO-Illinois.

As for the more relevant details to this soirée, Ryan is a voracious reader and consumer of history, science fiction, fantasy, and other well-written fiction.  His favorite fiction authors include Heinlein, Stephen King, Harry Turtledove, Terry Goodkind, and Tom Clancy.

In 1979, Ryan fled California and sought asylum in the sensible Midwest.  Like many who went to college in the late 70s and early 80s, Ryan considers The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to be essential parts of Western Civilization.  It was there he became a student of history, learned the methodology of cause and effect, tactics, strategy and the operational art, and began counterfactual studies.  He also wasted too much time playing D&D, drinking beer and chasing coeds.

He has a functional suit of armor he can wear and in general, likes a good mêlée.  More recently, he has been fighting gravity much more often.  He does, for the record, support the laws of physics, thermodynamics and the U.S. Constitution.  He has a sense of humor and is not afraid to use it.

A committed war gamer, Ryan can be found with nearly any manner of board, computer, FRP, RTS, simulation or game, with a leaning toward the historical.  He also yearns for the next Texas Hold'em tournament, and seeks good, clean games.  It is up to the observer opponent to determine if he bluffs well or not.  He is a horrible, but happy, golfer.

"If you are going through hell, keep going." — Winston Churchill