Winter 2015

PROFILE
athletic director who was a full bird Air Force colonel. Swan, who
was “invited” to meet him at 8:00 a.m. the following morning, was
understandably nervous. He didn’t need to be. The colonel, noting
Swan had “made a big impression in a short time,” promoted him
to assistant athletic director giving him responsibility for sports
camps, event management, eight staff members and 27 traveling
teams. Swan was 25 years old.
At the Air Force Academy and in subsequent athletic
director positions in Montana and California, Swan developed a
management philosophy that would later shape his real estate
business.
“When your job is
to compete every day,
you have to prepare
better than everybody
else; anticipate
the intangibles;
constantly reevaluate
your strategies;
and make sure that
everyone places
the team ahead of
themselves,” he said.
“To win in athletics
and business, it’s
not about developing
independent
superstars, but team
players with specific
skill sets who fulfill
their roles with
professionalism,
dedication and pride.”
By 2001, the
high-pressure job
was taking its toll.
As athletic director
at Humboldt State
University in northern
California, Swan was
leaving the house at
5:30 a.m. and getting home long after dark. It left him little time
with Nancy, who he identifies as the best thing to happen to him
while in Colorado Springs, and their newborn daughter.
“We were praying about making a change and getting back to
Montana, but I didn’t know what I would do professionally,” he
said. “I wasn’t too keen on selling feed or ag pharmaceuticals.”
When they traveled to Montana on vacation in June of 2001,
he told his father what he was thinking. His dad promised to make
a few phone calls. One of them was to Patrick Bates, brokerowner
of Bates Land Consortium, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Bates
had handled the sale of the family’s ranch when the elder Swans
retired.
Bates and Swan connected on all levels.
A NEW CHALLENGE
On September 11, 2001, the world changed. Bates called to say
the timing was wrong for a new office. Swan responded he was
going home regardless—and would find a way to make a living.
They agreed to proceed with their plans.
In February, 2002, Swan obtained his real estate license, rented
an office in Bozeman, and spent one long week waiting for the
phone to ring.
“I asked Nancy, ‘What did we just do!?’” Swan recalled.
According to him, she replied, “I’ve got faith in you. God will
provide because you work
hard—and you’re going to make
good things happen.”
He continued, “Her faith
in me and our faith in God has
made all the difference.”
After the first week of
waiting, Swan decided to make
things happen by reconnecting
with landowners and business
professionals who were family
acquaintances throughout
Montana.
“Once again, my parents’
devotion to keeping our good
family reputation paid off for
me. I was welcomed at kitchen
tables, auction barns, cafes—
wherever I went,” Swan said.
Because he was engaged in
the landowner community, he
caught wind that the owners of
the historic Cal Creek Ranch,
a 28,000-acre property in the
Ruby Valley, were considering
changing ranch brokers. He
secured an interview with the
owners who were based in
Chicago and California.
The owners were taken
by the combination of Bates’
experience and Swan’s go-getter enthusiasm. The duo got the
multi-million dollar listing. In 18 months, they sold the property.
“Pat taught me a tremendous amount about the real estate
business,” he said. “But I still had to prove myself. After I handled
the first couple of deals, people knew that I could deliver.
“Over time, and after handling numerous transactions, your
reputation develops,” Swan said. “Satisfied clients lead to more
clients—and it’s all grown from there.”
His upbringing, combined with his market acumen, landed
Swan the opportunity to represent the 124,000-acre Broken O
Ranch in 2012.
A large pool of potential ranch real estate brokerages from
across the Rocky Mountain West had been whittled down to
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