Jim Ryan, FIDSA
President of the Industrial Designers Society of America
(IDSA), 1995-1996
Jim is Principal of Jim Ryan & Co. L.L.C. Prior to forming his present company he had been with Henry Dreyfuss Associates for thirty-six years where he was a senior partner.
Before this, he was manager of engineering and design for Atlantic Aviation Corporation. This work involved all aspects of the design and installation of custom business jet interiors for Gulfstreams, Hawkers and Jetstars.
Dreyfuss clients for whom Jim has had major responsibility include: American Airlines for corporate identity, aircraft interiors, and facilities furnishing standards; Amtrak for specifications on high speed train sets and for their fleet interior upgrades; Citibank for future electronic banking facilities; Astra Jet, Falcon jet, Learjet and galaxy Aerospace for custom business aircraft interiors; Hyster-Yale Materials Handling Co. for lift trucks and brand identity; Inframetrics, Polaroid and Kodak for cameras and photographic equipment; Freightliner Corporation for truck cab interiors; Southern California Edison for electricity transmission facilities; and New York City Transit for the next generation of subway car interiors.
Internationally, Jim has consulted with the Electricity Commission of New South Wales, Australia on the design of transmission facilities; Israel Aircraft Industries on business aircraft; Eicher Goodearth Ltd. Of New Delhi, India on the interior design of mid-sized commuter busses and Xian Aircraft of China for the interiors of turbo-prop commuter aircraft.
His work for these clients has been recognized by awards and mentions in ID magazine's Annual Design Review, IDEA Excellence Awards and the International Design Yearbook, among others.
Jim has been active in the Industrial Designers Society of America since 1972. He is a Past President, Chairman, and a Fellow of the Society. He has been a guest lecturer on design at Carnegie Mellon University; Cornell University; the University of the Arts; Rhode Island School of Design; Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design; Pratt Institute; the Harvard Business School and Ohio State University. He holds a BFA in Industrial Design from the University of the Arts, 1960.