Kevin Swann

By Jody Rathgeb ~ Photos By Tom Rathgeb

Kevin Swann’s varied background a good choice to help lead the renaissance of the airport on North Caicos.

To check out Kevin Swann of North Caicos is to check all the ways in which he is a Renaissance Man. His areas of expertise run wide: Construction? Check. Security? Check. Import-export logistics? Check. Auto mechanics? Check. Hospitality? Check.

It’s no surprise, then, that this Renaissance Man is part of a renaissance for North Caicos—the revival and expansion of the Clifford Gardiner International Airport.

Despite having lived and worked in the United States for more than 10 years, Kevin Swann is North Caicos through and through. The 56-year-old was born in the Turks & Caicos Islands and raised in Whitby, North Caicos. A 1987 graduate of Raymond Gardiner High School, he spent his first year out of school working on the construction of the crab farm venture at Greenwich. In those days, fishing and construction were the primary ways that North Caicos men made a living, so Kevin headed himself on that trajectory, guided by his uncle, Herbert Swann, who had become a construction engineer in the Bahamas.

But the tourist industry was also gearing up on Providenciales, so when he went there looking for employment he ended up learning about hospitality at the Island Princess . The young Kevin had no idea that he was gathering skills that would end up very much in his favor.

Unplanned emigration

Kevin says he never expected to leave the Islands, but in 1989 a family tragedy changed his plans. A younger brother, Bernard, went missing in Florida, and Kevin accompanied his mother, Agnes Swann, to the US to assist police in their investigation. The sad, tense time nevertheless sparked another interest. After his mother returned to North Caicos, Kevin stayed in Florida for law enforcement training. From the police academy, he went into private security for conventions and music events, sometimes working with such celebrities as Oprah Winfrey and Steve Harvey. He says, “My whole goal was to move home. I never wanted to leave in the first place.” The opportunities for a “Green Card” holder were attractive, however, so Kevin stayed on, working his way back by starting an import-export business between the US and TCI in 1993.

That business kept his eyes on the country of his birth, and he noted its growth in the early 2000s. “In 2011, the island [North Caicos] was growing, and I wanted to catch that and establish myself here,” he says. He began a back-and-forth lifestyle that allowed him to be “home” yet finish a course in auto mechanics that he had begun in Florida, following another of his interests. He finally moved his primary residence to North Caicos in 2013, but still maintains his Green Card with periodic visits to a home in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Home again

Kevin’s decade-plus time spent back on North Caicos can appear to be quiet, but beneath the surface was more personal development. As he built his own home near Major Hill, he lived with and became the primary caregiver for his mother, who died in late 2024. Meanwhile, North Caicos itself was arising after the pandemic as a quieter, more authentic island experience for tourists, starting with infrastructure improvements. Construction of the new port at Bellfield Landing was soon followed by the plans for a revival of the North Caicos airport, which had been pioneered by Clifford Gardiner. The Renaissance Man and the renaissance of North came together when Kevin snagged the job as project officer for a larger international airport.

“I am fortunate, being given the opportunity to work with the Airport Authority on this,” Kevin says about his job. “It’s a learning experience. I’ve never worked on a project like it.” He says the work draws on every aspect of his own background, because there are so many facets and components to consider. He coordinates among not only the construction and engineering, but also all departments of the new facility: maintenance, aviation, tower, fire, and security.

Proudly posing with their state-of-the-art fire truck are (from left): Kevin Swann, project manager; Viterio Smith, fire crew manager; and firefighters Lexcianna Stubbs, Korea Rolle, and Kimiko Talbot.

Kevin is the point man for every problem, large and small. If maintenance orders a light bulb, he says, it is up to him to follow through. He must understand how the new buildings are going to be used and be capable of heading off potential problems. His pride in the work shows when he says, “We want this to be a model and set the standard for the rest of the Islands. If you look at where we were and where we’re going, it’s amazing. We will be the standard of the Turks & Caicos. We are the center of the Turks & Caicos Islands.” Glowing words on the North Caicos renaissance from its native Renaissance Man.