Roger Sweeney was born in New York State, but spent his formative years in Southern California in the 1950's. He attended the US Naval Academy and spent several years in the nuclear submarine force in the Pacific. After leaving the Navy he earned an MBA at Xavier University and worked for several large industrial companies before buying and integrating several food service equipment manufacturing companies to form Piper Products, Inc., located in Wausau, WI. In addition to acting as Chairman of that company he is also a Managing Partner of SMB Interim Management, LLC, a Chicago-based professional services firm.

He has been married to Barbara Hessling Sweeney for 53 years and they have four sons: Damien Joseph, Roger Anthony, Mark DeLisle and Eric Nicholas, who also reside in Wausau with their families.