Schools

Businessman Uses Financial Success to Help Oak Creek Schools

Global Eagle owner helps support school programs close to home.

Global Eagle, a worldwide design, engineering and manufacturing company with a facility on 13th Street, has had a very successful run under Oak Creek resident Jerry Ryan.

But Ryan isn’t interested in keeping all his money to himself. He looks at his business accomplishments as an opportunity to support his favorite causes, and chief among them are Oak Creek-Franklin School District programs.

The School Board on Monday accepted two more donations from Ryan - $6,322 to improve the high school pool’s sound system, and $1,000 toward the East Middle School Chinese Exchange program.

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Ryan told me he often gives to school programs near and dear to his heart, as well as those which normally don’t get a lot of attention.

These were certainly no exception.

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Global Eagle has a manufacturing plant in China, and thus Ryan has a great interest in local Chinese-related programs, like the one at East Middle School.

His son is active in cross country, swimming and track. Those sports don’t get the attention or money like football and basketball, Ryan said, so he wants to help out where he can.

He previously donated a canopy for the track team, and described the pool’s current sound system as “lousy.”

“What better way to help out then by donating?” he said.

It’s been said there are three central things people can donate – time, talent and treasure.

Through hard work and perseverance, Ryan has built Global Eagle to be in a position where he can provide the latter.

To him, there’s no better group to help than children – and, by extension, the teachers and coaches who put in long hours that often go unnoticed.

“Unnoticed” is exactly what Ryan’s donations are not to those teachers and other school officials, who appreciate the support.

“Totally generous from the bottom of his heart,” School Board President Frank Carini said of Ryan’s gifts.

Money has always been important in education, but with another round of enormous cuts for Wisconsin schools coming down the pipe, Ryan feels it’s more crucial than ever for Oak Creek schools to get every dollar they can.

“If I can improve (schools),” he said, “I’m going to help any way I can.”

In an age where school finance is a constant struggle, Ryan’s attitude is positively refreshing.


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