Small Private Company CFO Winner: Brian Swindle, Harrison Energy Partners

Brian Swindle | CFO | Harrison Energy Partners | Little Rock

Brian Swindle admits he’s taken some teasing about his last name when people find out what he does for a living.

But he’s deeply proud of the unusual path he took to become a CPA and eventually the CFO at Harrison Energy Partners, a 192-employee HVAC equipment distributor headquartered in Little Rock.

“I take great pride in having served our country as a United States Marine,” said Swindle, who served for six years out of high school. “Another proud achievement was passing the CPA exam.”

Swindle was a bit of a cut-up in high school, and when he told a former principal he was an accountant, the administrator’s jaw dropped.

It was no easy path. Swindle worked full time at Virco, the school furniture factory in Conway, while attending the University of Central Arkansas. After starting his finance career at an accounting firm, he struck out on his own for several years and landed at Harrison Energy Partners in 2008. Three years ago, he recovered from cancer.

He still operates his own private tax practice on the side, “and I love that HEP gives me that freedom.”

He calls his boss, Bill Harrison, his most admired CEO. “It’s impossible to work for Bill Harrison and not admire him most,” Swindle said. “That sentiment is echoed in our Best Places to Work survey.”

Raised by a factory-working single mom, Swindle said another inspiration was his uncle, Jim Gilbert, who was an accountant for a hospital in Memphis. “That’s kind of where I got my first interest in the accounting world.”

Swindle’s idea of success is shaped by perspective. After his bout with cancer, he said, he understands how precious life is and how important it is to make the best out of all situations. “That said, it’s equal parts communication, positivity and hard work.”