A dream becomes reality

Tom Swoyer helps grow UAS industry in North Dakota

BY KAYLA PRASEK

John Schmisek calls Tom Swoyer “a dreamer” who can make those dreams a reality. The retired Grand Forks County commissioner has worked with Swoyer for the past five years to help bring Grand Sky to life, which culminated with a groundbreaking ceremony in September.

Grand Sky, located adjacent to the Grand Forks Air Force Base near Grand Forks, N.D., is the United States’ first unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) business and aviation park. Jeff Donohoe and Swoyer were initially hired by the Base Realignment Impact Committee to do a feasibility study for a ground study for UAS in Grand Forks.

looking into UAS and from there it grew,” Schmisek says. “When we brought Tom in, it became evident he has a passion for (UAS) and for this project. He has grown to be a real friend of North Dakota and of the Grand Forks region. He is fantastic at bringing all the right entities together and making it all happen.”

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“We had started talking about what else we could do here to help the economy, and we started

Swoyer is president of Grand Sky Development and New Braunfels, Texas-based Infinity Development Partners, which he started in 2011. He began his career at West Chester, Pa.-based Weston Solutions, an environmental solutions company started by his grandfather, where he worked for 20 years. During his time at Weston, he led the company’s real estate development team and focused on military base development through the federal Enhanced Use Lease program.

“When I left to start my own company, my intention was to start projects by leasing land on active military bases,” Swoyer says. “Because I specialize in this area, I was ultimately hired by the base to start Grand Sky.”

As president of Grand Sky Development, Swoyer is in charge of marketing, tenant leasing and government and community relations. Swoyer says he “sets the vision” of Grand Sky.

Swoyer gives credit to Grand Forks area and state leaders for their vision to make the region a UAS hub. “The community leaders recognized (UAS) is the future, and a good way to support and invest in the base. Team North Dakota contributed to all of this. They were the people who had the vision to embrace unmanned technology. They were the people who didn’t ask ‘Why?’ but ‘Why not?’ Their pioneering investments provided the knowledge and expertise to create this.”

The plan initially was to focus on UAS data analysis, but eventually it morphed into Grand Sky. “We realized we needed to expand to do all things drone, including training, research and development, data analysis, testing, flying and operations. At the same time, we also recognized the need for the first drone airport.”

Construction is underway on infrastructure at the Grand Sky site and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Northrop Grumman, Grand Sky’s first anchor tenant, plans to break ground in October, while Swoyer expects two more tenants to sign leases before the end of 2015.

Grand Sky has also received clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration for flight activity. “We can officially say we’re open for business,” Swoyer says.

Long term, Swoyer’s goals for Grand Sky are to continue developing the 217-acre business park and to grow the UAS industry in North Dakota and the Upper Midwest. “We expect to see hangars, offices, shops, laboratories and data centers filling in the 1.2 million square feet to make Grand Forks a UAS hub.”

Swoyer says he expects Grand Sky to bring major economic impact to the Grand Forks community in the form of property taxes and more than 1,000 jobs at Grand Sky. He also expects another 1,000 people will come to Grand Forks annually for UAS training, while another 1,000 indirect jobs supporting those companies also will be created.

“The bigger element of this is that we’re helping grow the aerospace industry in North Dakota,” Swoyer says. “This is an entirely new business, with different kinds of jobs being created, many that don’t even exist yet. It will create more economic diversity in North Dakota.” PB

Kayla Prasek Staff Writer Prairie Business magazine 701-780-1187, kprasek@prairiebizmag.com