Thomas O. Ryder is a businessperson who has been the head of 6 different companies is on the board of Amazon.com, Inc. and Sheraton Madison Hotel. In his past career Mr. Ryder was Chairman for The Reader's Digest Association, Inc., Chairman of Virgin Mobile USA, Inc., Chairman of Trusted Media Brands, Inc., President at TI, Inc. Affluent Media Group, President for American Express Travel Related Services Co., Inc. and Chairman for Magazine Publishers of America, Inc.

He received an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University.