Alan enjoyed giving to community
Many local groups and organisations have benefited from his energy and willingness to roll up his sleeves and yesterday Mr Ryan received recognition for that when he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia General Division (OAM) for his community service.
Mr Ryan, now 79 and retired in Warragul, was typically humble when asked about his Queen’s Birthday honour saying he thought there were “others more worthy”.
“I don’t think I’ve done much and have really enjoyed most of it,” he said.
Mr Ryan arrived in Warragul to manage the ANZ Bank branch and stayed on until retirement 23 years later despite many requests by the bank to transfer to other locations and roles.
“We liked Warragul, we didn’t want to move,” he said.
Mr Ryan and wife Maureen raised five children in Warragul and most still live in the area. They now have 18 grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
As well as managing the bank Mr Ryan was quick to become involved in the community.
He joined Warragul Lions in 1971 serving many terms on the executive committee and is still a member and the current treasurer, a role he has filled numerous times over the years,.
Mr Ryan’s finance industry background made him a logical target when organisations he joined were looking for treasurers and filled that job at various times in virtually all of the many local groups with which he was involved.
The Warragul Harness Racing Club, formerly the Warragul Trotting club, where he was a member from 1973-2014 and honorary treasurer from 1973-1990 awarded him life membership for his service.
Mr Ryan was a member of the boards of management and honorary treasurer of the Warragul Club (Downtowner) for three years, Gippsland Field Days (Lardner Park Events) for five years, honorary treasurer of the West Gippsland Arts Centre for four years and the Warragul Technical School for nine years.
He was also a State Government appointed Commissioner for Affidavits for 22 years.
Mr Ryan’s standing in the community saw him part of what he described as the then Warragul shire’s “rent a crowd” comprised of prominent local people invited to attend civic receptions for VIPs.
“I got to meet Prime Ministers, Premiers, government ministers and many other very interesting people that visited the town,” he said.
Today his involvement with community groups is mainly as a member of the Lions Club and Tarago Probus Club that he joined in 2009 and he continues to do honorary financial audits for many small clubs and organisations.
And plenty of time is also spent working in and enjoying the almost two acres of gardens that surround his and Maureen’s home.