From 1916 to 1929 Lyon taught economics at the University of Chicago, at the Washington University in St. Louis, where he was also Dean of the School of Commerce and Finance from 1923 to 1925, and at the Robert Brookings Graduate School of Economics and Government.
In 1939 he moved to the Chicago Association of Commerce and Industry, where he served as its chief executive officer from until his retirement in 1954 [REF].