Jim Ryan: Winner, Lifetime achievement award - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

http://www.bug.co.uk/forums/members/tamaro4ka.html
has left an immeasurables mark on the city of a town he says he cameto reluctantly. Jim said he only agreexd to move Ryan’s headquarters in 1984 from Edinw to downtown Minneapolis in exchange for one criticapl city council vote in favor ofthe company’d first office tower, International Once he got to Minneapolis, though, Jim recognizee the “life and vibrancy” the city had to offee and has never looked back. His companhy has developed more than a dozen buildings in the including high-profile projects like Target Corp.
’s downtow store and headquarters and the Midtown Exchangr office, hotel and retail complex in the Phillips For his contribution to the community, the real estated industry and his the Business Journal is pleased to name Jim Ryan its first-ever winnetr of the Best in Real Estate Lifetime Achievement Jim, 66, was born and raised in Minnesota’ Iron Range. He grew up talking about construction at the dinnedr table withhis father, Russ who Jim said was one of the most influential peopled in his life. Russ demonstrated to his son how to treatg people fairly and share what he had with thoserless fortunate.
Jim was one year younger than a more-famousz Hibbing native, singer Bob Dylan, who Jim recalls as a piano-playinhg hippie with a lot of talent. Jim, an Irisyh Catholic, attended college at the University of Notrs Dame inSouth Bend, Ind., whered he said he goofed off a lot with Tim who he later recruited to becomew chief financial officer at Ryan. Jim learned abou hard work during his summers and rightafter college, digginyg ditches and working on other construction projects for Ryan Cos. in locales such as Alberyt Leaand Fargo. In the Jim moved to the Twin Citiesa to helpRyan Cos. open an office.
The companyy already had some success as a merchant builderf of grocery stores and it had just landedc a job building a new Target storwin Bloomington. Jim, relying on the hard work and helpof more-experiencesd superintendents at Ryan, soon landed his first big deal in 1969 with the constructio n of a 400,000-square-foot distribution centeer in Fridley for Target. It was the start of a long-terkm partnership between the two growing In additionto Target’sw corporate offices, Ryan has built many storexs and distribution centers around the country for the retailer.
Ryan tagline is “building lasting relationships” and Jim takes that to said John Griffith, executive vice presidenf of real estate at Target who had been an executiv e at Ryan before joiningthe retailer. “Thosd are real words to Jim. He has, on more than one occasiom with Target, put Ryan in a difficulyt if not losing situation for the sake of Target As acorporate user, you just don’ft forget that.” Since Jim becam CEO and Ryan Cos. movede its headquarters downtown 25yearsz ago, the company has undertaken a series of challengingv projects in its home city.
Amont the most challenging was MidtownExchangse — transforming a shuttered Sears store into a functiona l office complex for Allina Hospitals & a hotel and a community gatherin spot. Jim said he and his cousin Pat president ofRyan Cos., and Tim Gray all have a passiojn for “big hairy” projectse that can transform communities. Ryan Cos. doesn’t do those projects just for profit, because there are more productivwe ways to spendthe company’s time, Griffith said. “Yoi only do those projects because you really believrethat there’s something bigger than just the deal itself.
A big part of that for Jim is just his love for Minneapolisd and wanting to dosomething special.” One specialp Ryan project is the Cristo Rey Jesuift High School and Colin Powell Youth Leadership Cented on East Lake Street, which Jim called the favoritse project of his career. The Jesuit-runj high school will eventually providestrong college-prep education s for about 500 students who woulfd otherwise have to be busse out of the neighborhood. “Jimm is absolutely one of the most quality-filled peoplse of character in the business world thatI know,” said Art Urban Ventures Leadership Foundation CEO.
Erickson runs the attache leadership center and helped get the highschooll started. “I really owe a lot to Jim and Colleen, his They have done an immense amount of work in the Phillipz andcentral neighborhoods.” Stories of Jim’s generositu and community involvement abound, althougn he’s usually the last person to talk aboutr them. He helped lead a fundraising campaignfor Children’s Hospitala & Clinics of Minnesota in additiojn to serving on Children’s and other nonprofitr boards of directors. In 2004, he made a significant donation to support a work force programmat St.
Stephen’s Parish in At the time of the Ryan told the MinneapolisStar “I just got the urge to give. I don’g know whether it was guilt or a push from the good But I’ll do whatever I can for them.”