ABOUT US
In the late 1950's, Herb Sweeney moved his family to the Verona area, where he worked as a handyman. Eventually, he often brought his sons with him to job sites. There, he showed them how to use the right materials and help people realize their dreams with some well-placed 2x4s. He was a teacher, a coach, a mentor who trusted his boys - Mike, Jim, Tom and Tim - to listen quietly and follow his instruction, to eventually take on tasks that most people wouldn't dream of giving to children. In so doing, he helped them develop confidence in their own budding abilities. Those projects were a training ground, not so much places where the boys became a part of the construction business, but places where the construction business became a part of them.
Eventually, the Sweeney brothers all started careers of their own in the building industry. Jim studied engineering and is today working in Alaska. Their paths of the other three crossed often and, in 1986, they combined their talents and formed the Sweeney Construction Corporation. Today, Tom is working for Findorff Construction in the Madison area. Mike and Tim remain, however, and continue to lead the growing company.
The trust in people that Herb Sweeney continues to exemplify for his boys is the foundation upon which Sweeney Construction serves the people of Dane County. Mike and Tim Sweeney make trust a priority as they relate to their employees, their clients, their subcontractors and even each other as they recognize the roles that they all play in realizing any remodeling dream. They nurture a growing staff, putting skilled people - including qualified family members - in key positions and allowing them to do what they do best.
Ultimately, the client is the holder of the dream. The Sweeneys trust homeowners to lead the process, giving them opportunities to precisely communicate what they want to achieve. Once the project begins, qualified subcontractors plug into the process, and have the freedom to apply their unique gifts to the work. Ultimately, however, it's the trust that Mike and Tim have in each other that can be credited for Sweeney Construction's success. They clearly know and trust their respective responsibilities.
In the end, however, Sweeney Construction is a family business that places as much emphasis on "family" as it does on "business". Employees work set hours (7am - 3:30pm, Monday-Friday) year-round. The Sweeneys feel that it is important to keep their employees working, despite seasonal lags which often cause many companies in the region to lay off some of their employees. They want their employees to know that they care about them. This unique blend of trust and care may be unusual in the business world, but it is the legacy that Herb Sweeney gave to his sons.