Sean Girard and Paul Swanson, Jr.
Principals, Swanson-Girard and Associates, Charlotte, NC – Manufacturers' Rep
"It was just us girls," recalls Sean Girard of the spring day in 1999 he and Paul Swanson Jr. opened their foodservice manufacturers' rep group, Swanson-Girard and Associates, in Charlotte, N.C. "Representing just two product lines, we were sitting around praying for the fax machine to ring. Every order was a celebration."
Fast forward ten years and the partners continue to celebrate. Swanson-Girard's revenues now total $28 million annually, boosted by a 2005 acquisition that doubled the number of the firm's employees. Not content to rest on their success, the duo continues to invest in the company, updating their document storage system and signing an agreement with a popular chef to demonstrate the equipment lines they sell.