The Swaney Group Team
Veteran-owned, operator-led. We have run the operations, made the tough calls, and built the systems. That experience is what we bring to every investment.
Why It Matters Who Is in the Room
At Swaney Group Capital, our team is our differentiated asset. We do not hire advisors to tell management what to do — we embed operators who have actually done it. Every member of our leadership team has spent years inside complex industrial environments, leading real transformations under real pressure.
We are veteran-owned and operator-led. That means our instincts are calibrated to execution, not theory. We know what it takes to build high-performing teams, run operations at scale, and hold organizations accountable to results — because we have lived it.
Leadership Team
Paul W. Swaney III
Managing Partner and Founder | Investment Committee
Paul founded Swaney Group Capital to bring together two things most investment firms treat as separate: real operational authority and disciplined capital deployment. His career spans strategy consulting, global industrial operations, and PE-backed transformation — giving him a perspective that is equally at home in a boardroom and on a production floor.
Paul leads the Investment Committee and serves as the primary operating partner on all SGOS deployments. He takes board seats in portfolio companies and maintains direct accountability for value creation from acquisition through exit.
Background:
– Partners Group
– McKinsey & Company
– Total Oil (Bostik)
– Amazon.com
– ConocoPhillips
– US Navy Submarines
Robert 'Bo' Plante III
Chief Operating Officer | Partner
Bo is the operational backbone of every SGOS deployment. He leads the on-the-ground transformation work inside portfolio companies — building management systems, developing frontline leaders, and driving the daily cadence that turns a plan into results.
Bo brings a rare combination of military precision and PE execution experience. He has led transformation programs across multiple industries and knows how to build teams that perform under pressure. His background in US Army Special Forces and the US Marine Corps means he understands accountability, urgency, and what it takes to sustain performance in high-stakes environments.
Background:
– PE TMO and VC Implementation
– US Army Special Forces
– US Marine Corps
Ben J. Novello
Investment and Acquisitions Director | Head of Technology
Ben leads deal execution and digital transformation strategy across the SGC platform. He manages the investment pipeline, runs acquisition diligence, and owns the technology infrastructure build-out within portfolio companies — including the digital enablement pillar of the SGOS framework.
Ben brings institutional investment experience and a deep understanding of how technology creates durable operational advantage in industrial businesses. He is focused on building the data and systems infrastructure that scales with the portfolio.
Background:
– Whitney Wilder
– Blake Investment Partners
Veteran-Focused Talent Strategy
The Swaney Group is built on a deliberate talent thesis: the best industrial operators come from environments that demand high performance under pressure, with real consequences for failure. That description fits the military.
Our veteran-focused talent strategy is not a values exercise. It is a competitive advantage. Veterans bring the operational instincts, leadership habits, and accountability standards that industrial transformation requires.
- Veteran-owned and operator-led, with lived experience running high-consequence operations and transformation programs
- Added execution capacity inside portfolio companies so management bandwidth increases from day one
- Disciplined veteran pipeline with rigorous screening for leadership, pace, judgment, and learning speed
- Capability building that converts leadership potential into field execution: finance basics, KPI ownership, operating cadence, and initiative delivery
- Embedded deployment with real ownership: defined workstreams, weekly commitments, and measurable outcomes tied to value creation levers
- Senior operator oversight that enforces cadence, accountability, and escalation so momentum stays high and standards stay tight
Interested in Joining the Team?
We are always looking for operators, veterans, and industrial professionals who want to build something significant. If that sounds like you, reach out.
