George W. Ritter was a native of Virginia, and received his B.S. degree from Roanoke College in 1932. He joined the United States Treasury Department in 1935, and was engaged in private business in 1940. Ritter went onto complete graduate work at George Washington University, and also attended Senior Army Management School in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia.
Ritter served as Captain of the U.S. Naval Reserve in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and served in the Office of naval Material until 1950. Ritter developed expertise in cataloguing and standardizing, and he was named Staff Direct of the cataloguing Division of the supply and logistics section of the office of Defense in 1956.
From 1954 until 1962, Ritter was the U.S. Representative on the NATO Panel on Codification of Equipment. He joined the G.S.A. in 1962, and following his retirement form federal service, he became associated with the Atlas Box Board Company in Washington.
Ritter gave outstanding service to his Alma Mater. He was the leader in Washington alumni activities for many years, including annual and capital campaigns. He was elected vice president of the General Alumni Association in 1957, and president of the association in 1960. Ritter was staff director for Supply Programs, and worked at the office of the Secretary of Defense in Washington, D.C.
George W. Ritter was awarded the Roanoke College Medal on April 26, 1975 for his distinctive service and professional achievement, as well as recognition of his productive life full of significance to the community. Ritter was married to Paula Cameron Umstead in 1934, and together they had two children; Barbara June Ritter Gold and Peter Cameron Ritter.
George W. Ritter received the Roanoke College Medal in 1975.