ROCK HILL, S.C. — Jim Ryan has worn several hats over the years.
In 1984, he enlisted in the Navy.
“You have tremendous responsibility. You move up pretty quickly in rank,” Ryan recalled.
After six years in the Navy, he embarked on a career in IT.
“I used to work for IBM for 25 years. This is actually the third adult thing I’ve done in my life,” Ryan said as he smiled.
You could consider his recent venture as an entrepreneur as his fourth.
The Buffalo, New York native moved to Rock Hill in 2008. After he explored his options, he decided to follow in his mom’s footsteps.
“I thought back to when I was younger. I remember my mom was a nurse for 30-plus years. And she was always very happy,” Ryan recalled.
Seven years ago, he opened a Right at Home franchise in Rock Hill. He said he uses his love for helping fellow veterans and his past managerial experience to help navigate his latest chapter.
“The girls in the office sometimes tell me to get out of the office. 'You’re here too much,'” Ryan shared.
“I like being here. Other than being in the Navy, it’s the most fun I’ve had as an adult. You know you’re making a difference. We are helping people that in many cases they don’t have anybody else to help them.”
Right at Home offers in-home care to seniors and adults with disabilities who want to live independently. Ryan said a lot of his clients are vets.
“It brings me back to when my siblings and I went through that with my mom when she passed away. She passed away quite rapidly from a glioblastoma brain tumor back in 2000. It was four and half months from diagnosis to death,” Ryan said.
Ryan said he initially thought at the time about the possibility of his family needing more help. It’s a situation a lot of his clients face.
While Ryan admits that he spends a lot of time at work, he’s also very involved with connecting with veterans in the community and always finds time to give back.
“I would want to believe she [mom] would be proud. We were always so proud of her and everything she did,” he said.
Contact Nick Sturdivant at nsturdiva1@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.