Charles V. Ryan (September 15, 1927 – October 18, 2021) was an American politician who served as Mayor of

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is the most populous city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, and its county seat. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ea ...

, from 1962 to 1968, and again from 2004 to 2008. Ryan served as the city's mayor during the 1960s for three terms and for two additional terms beginning in 2004, making him the only Springfield mayor to serve in two different centuries. His terms in the 1960s occurred during a time of civil unrest and controversial urban renewal projects. Ryan was unsuccessful in preventing the closure of the Springfield Armory, a major economic blow to Springfield that he blamed on then Congressman Edward P. Boland. Ryan ran against Boland for Congress in 1968, but was defeated in a landslide. After leaving office he became a prominent attorney and continued to be active in public affairs, serving as a member of the downtown economic development group Springfield Central and leading efforts to successfully defeat attempts to institute casino gambling. He also led successful efforts to place the privately owned Springfield libraries under public control. He attempted to return to the mayoralty in

1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...

but lost to city councilor Michael J. Albano. Ryan was elected mayor in

2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...

following the decision of Albano not to seek reelection. He defeated the Albano endorsed State Senator Linda Melconian in a campaign that focused on the numerous corruption scandals of the Albano years. In November

2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...

, Ryan won reelection defeating the city's School Committee Vice-President, Thomas Ashe. On April 12, 2007, Ryan announced that he would run for re-election in the city's 2007 mayoral election and stated that this would be his final run. He lost this election to City Councilor Domenic Sarno. Ryan died following a short illness on October 18, 2021, at the age of 94.Former Springfield Mayor Charles V. Ryan dies at 94
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Electoral history

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ryan, Charles 1927 births 2021 deaths 20th-century mayors of places in Massachusetts 21st-century mayors of places in Massachusetts Mayors of Springfield, Massachusetts