Ryan is a proud kama’aina resident, but was raised in Northern California where he attended high school and later California State University, Monterey Bay, the Monterey Peninsula College and the Monterey Institute of International Studies. While there, he studied Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis on Teledramatic Technology and Global Studies. He graduated from the University of Hawaii with a degree in Marine Vessel Fabrication and Repair and has worked in building engineering and the facilities management industry in Honolulu for the past twenty years. Ryan is a Certified Building Operator (BOC II) and Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and a member of the Association of Energy Engineers where he promotes our clean energy future. He has served as an advocate for healthy and efficient buildings as a member and committee chair of the US Green Building Council, Hawaii Chapter.

Ryan’s ethnic heritage is German from his dad and Acadian French from his mom. As a young child, Ryan traveled with his family to the French-speaking areas of Louisiana and remembers growing up and hearing his mom: Marie and grandparents: Ferdinand and Ouida Dumond speaking Acadian (aka “Cajun”) French. He remembers how they loved to visit relatives in French-speaking areas of Louisiana and Quebec, and usually spoke French with each other wherever they went. Ironically, it is Ryan’s German father who can prepare the best cajun gumbo, but it is his mom who makes the best riz sale (Cajun dirty rice).

Ryan traveled extensively in Europe and studied in Germany as a Congress-Bundestag scholar in high school, having achieved the Zertifikat: Deutsch als Fremdsprache from the Goethe Institut. Ryan is also conversant in Dutch and ‘Olelo Hawaii. 

Having heard a radio broadcast last year that highlighted the ‘demise’ of the Acadian French language and culture in Louisiana along with threats to the environment in that land, he exclaimed “Pas sous ma garde!” (Not on my watch!). This encouraged Ryan right then to join AFH and participate in French classes, which he thoroughly enjoys enough to make a commitment as the AFH recording secretary!

Ryan believes there are many amazing connections that France and Hawaii share, from our tumultuous but inspiring past to the present and future opportunities and challenges where together, we can transcend and thrive.

When Ryan is not busy managing buildings, he enjoys beautiful Hawaii through her diverse eateries and watering holes, majestic outdoor spaces, and his Moanalua garden. He is a musician on the flute and saxophone and enjoys all music, with Jazz being his favorite.