Arkansas APEX Accelerator Success Story: Swain Distribution, Inc.

by Kimberly Randle and Kim Magee - February 20, 2024

Founded by Bill Swain in 1987, and owned and managed today by CEO Sean Seger, Swain Distribution Inc. is a certified veteran-owned tool distribution company based in Searcy.

The company specializes in serving the electrical utility market, and its customers are comprised of power generation, substation, transmission and distribution companies, as well as entities engaged in the delivery of cable, fiber optic and telephone services. Swain also provides tools and safety equipment to tree-trimming and construction companies.

With a longstanding and strong reputation in the commercial arena, the company moved into government contracting in 2019. It acquired a General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract focused on providing tools and safety items to federal agencies including the DOE-Western Power Administration, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, the USDA Forest Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Secret Service and several other bases, shipyards and power schools across the United States. Since that time, Swain has continued to expand its contracting clients to include numerous states and municipalities across the country.

Christina Brown, the company’s government sales and compliance lead, has substantially helped the company to grow and diversify its government contracting success. Brown joined the company in 2022, bringing with her a wealth of experience as well an understanding of how to effectively work with the government, having previously been employed by the Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Research, and having served as a grant administrator for the Prosecutor Coordinator’s Office. She guided Swain through several GSA MAS migrations and audits, as well as overhauling the company’s product pricing, and managing the company’s Defense Logistics Agency Bid Board (DIBBS) activities, while continuously keeping an eye out for emerging contract solicitations across the country.

Given the consistent changes and updates to government processes, procedures, and requirements inherent in government contracting, Brown periodically consults with the company’s APEX counselor, Kimberly Randle, to ensure that the company can stay proactive and compliant in meeting these changes. With a background in the utility sector herself, Randle quickly grasped the scope of what Brown was working to accomplish on behalf of the company. Since the beginning of 2024, Brown has already exceeded Swain’s contract award goal for the entire year of 2023. Notably, the company jump-started the year by receiving its first award from the Army National Guard, Camp Robinson, in the amount of $24,778.

“At Swain, we are appreciative for the opportunity to turn to Arkansas APEX with our government contracting challenges, at no cost, and to gain helpful insights and practical applications to improve our company’s ability to meet the government’s evolving requirements, and to provide the quality products and on-time services our clients deserve,” Brown said. “Thanks to Kimberly’s encouragement, we are pursuing certifications we might not have considered previously and are staying on the competitive forefront of our industry.”

In honor of International Women’s month, we commend Brown for her leadership as a government contracting professional and liaison to governmental agencies and contracting officials to serve the government’s procurement needs to the benefit of the citizens across our nation, including multiple states and municipalities.

To see how Arkansas APEX Accelerator can assist you in improving your ability to secure a government contract or for more information on our services that are offered free of charge, please reach out to us at APEX@uada.edu.