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Patrick H. Sweeney is the current president of Weather Modification Inc., a worldwide atmospheric research and cloud seeding company conducting business in Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, South America and North America. He also serves as chief executive officer of Fargo Jet Center Inc., a full service aviation service company based at Hector International Airport, Fargo, ND.
Upon high school graduation, Mr. Sweeney enlisted in the United States Navy in 1970 and received an honorable discharge in 1973. Mr. Sweeney received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Dakota (UND), Grand Forks, ND, in 1978 with a major in Industrial Technology. He also received his Commercial Pilot instrument and multi-engine training while at UND. He began his career with Weather Modification Inc. in 1975 as a summer electronics technician in Bowman, ND. In 1979 he was named vice president and became a stockholder of the company. Upon gaining controlling interest of the business in 1992, he moved the operation to Fargo and was named president. In 1995 he established its sister company, Fargo Jet Center Inc. As president of these organizations, Mr. Sweeney oversees all company operations and is responsible for all technical and aircraft operations.
Mr. Sweeney is a certified operator and past president of the Weather Modification Association and is a member of the North Dakota Water Users Association, the North Dakota Pilots Association as well as the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.
Since the early 1960s, Weather Modification Inc. has been a worldwide leader in the field of cloud modification, atmospheric research and technology transfer for private and public insurance companies, water resource management organizations and federal and state research organizations. Weather Modification, Inc. is committed to staying ahead of developments in weather modification, aviation, meteorology, cloud physics and atmospheric research to achieve the maximum benefits of weather modification technology and its effects on water supplies around the world. Weather Modification Inc. works extensively with Fargo Jet Center Inc. to maintain and modify all 33 owned aircraft including its flagship, a Model 35 Learjet.
Under the direction and influence of Mr. Sweeney, Weather Modification Inc. has always taken an entrepreneurial approach with employees. Employees are given a job with minimal supervision in a secure, stable environment. The organization has grown from 12 employees in 1992 to over 130 to date. A 20% annual employment growth during the next three years is expected. Weather Modification, Inc. annually budgets for training both internally and externally encouraging employees to enhance current skills as well as develop new ones.
Patrick Sweeney and Weather Modification, Inc. have been featured in articles in Canadian Geographic and The Furrow magazines, the Export-Import Bank of the United States Annual Report FY 2001 and a segment of the Discovery Channel’s Future Sciences television series.
While attending the Governor’s International Trade Conference event in Fargo in September 2002, Mr. Sweeney was presented the 2002 North Dakota Exporter of the Year award by North Dakota Governor John Hoeven and sponsored by the North Dakota District Export Council, the Department of Commerce and the North Dakota Manufacturing Extension Partnership. During the conference Mr. Sweeney participated on a panel discussion with other state leaders and business people who have a large interest in cultivating North Dakota’s presence in the domestic and international marketplace.
In spring 2001, Mr. Sweeney was a recipient of the 2001 Business Innovator of the Year award. This award, given by the University of North Dakota’s Center for Innovation, recognizes the new generation of entrepreneurial leaders who are changing the way business is being done, discovering new approaches, exploring new frontiers and building new operations through innovation. In addition, Weather Modification Inc. was nominated to receive the 2000 Small Business of the Year award from the Fargo-Moorhead business community and the Chamber of Commerce of Fargo-Moorhead. In 1997 he was awarded the Small Business Exporter of the Year by North Dakota’s U.S. Small Business Administration. | 