 In 1968, he and law school roommate Jeffrey Grayson founded Capital Consultants together; Swindells left that company in 1985 (and was not involved in the company's financial scandal of the late 1990s).He later co-founded Capital Trust Co., which became one of the largest trust companies in the Northwest, in 1981.Swindells has served on the board of directors of Swift Energy Company and The Greenbrier Companies.