Ashland University Winter Commencement Ceremony Online

Ashland University’s winter commencement ceremony held on Dec. 17 has been archived on the Ashland University website at www.ashland.edu/commencement.

Ashland University alumnus Jerry Ruyan, a 1968 graduate of Ashland University and founding member of Redwood Holdings LLC, presented the address in Kates Gymnasium inside the Physical Education Center. Ruyan’s address was titled “In Search of Passion.”

Jerry L. Ruyan is founder of Redwood Holdings LLC., a diversified private equity company in Cincinnati that invests in varied businesses. Redwood Holdings’ companies include Meridian Bioscience Corp., Frontgate Catalog Co., Schonstadt Instrument Co., and Synbiotics Corp.

Prior to becoming a founder of Redwood in 1995, Mr. Ruyan was president and chief operating officer of Meridian Diagnostics Inc, a publicly traded company that develops diagnostic test products for the global medical industry. As a founder of Meridian, he is intimately familiar with developing growth for a company from start-up to identifying market potential, nurturing product development, operating successful organizations and accessing public markets. He guided Meridian through each stage to create a thriving, and still growing, public company.

Mr. Ruyan has been an active, successful investor in other companies, such as the Frontgate Catalog Company, that are in need of private equity infusions and management support.

Mr. Ruyan is a former trustee for Ashland University, where he received a B.S. degree in Biology. He received his Master’s degree in Microbiology from the Ohio State University.

Ashland University, ranked in the top 200 colleges and universities in U.S. News and World Report’s National Universities category for 2012, is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.