We are experienced
Charles Ryan Associates has the rare ability to apply over five decades of traditional industry experience to the new world of communications - positioning our clients as a transparent, honest and reliable resource for the information the public seeks. Our expertise is in telling your story through compelling, thoughtful and consistent communication.
Who is Charles Ryan?
Better known as Charlie Ryan by those close to him, agency founder Charles Ryan was born a small-town West Virginia boy who went on to establish a communications firm with a 47-year (and counting!) legacy spanning four states. Ryan grew up in Keyser, WV, an industrial and railroad community that might seem an odd breeding ground for the kind of person who’d go on to thrive in public relations and advertising. But Ryan always found a way to connect with others, from his first job as a disc jockey for local radio to his initial career in journalism after attending West Virginia University.
He moved to Charleston and enjoyed an exceptional career in television news before deciding to make the leap to public relations and advertising by starting Charles Ryan Associates in 1974. While the leap was anything but guaranteed to succeed, within 10 years, Ryan was able to grow the company into the largest advertising and PR firm in West Virginia, an honor AdWeek still gives to CRA today.
Smart Government Communications
CRA is now offering account, creative, interactive and media services, as well as several professional trainings to federal government entities through the General Services Administration. As reference, our GSA MAS contract number is 47QRAA21D0020. Please visit our federal page to learn more about our federal service offerings.