John “Vegas” Vargas is executive vice president, Growth, for Voyager Technologies, a Denver- based company delivering mission-critical solutions across defense, national security, space and commercial space exploration. In this role, Vargas drives strategic growth initiatives focused on expanding Voyager’s market share, revenue, and profitability, in the fast-paced and competitive space, defense and national security markets.
Previously Vargas served as director of Mission Enablement, Microsoft Federal, leading Department of Defense-wide engagement, yielding joint and coalition enablement, characterized as the most advanced Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control solution.
Prior to Microsoft, Vargas served as an officer and fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. He was a 2003 graduate from the United States Air Force Weapons School (TOP GUN) and later served as a Weapons School Instructor and the Air Force’s Forward Air Controller (Airborne) subject matter expert. Vargas was a Command Pilot with more than 3,500 flying hours, including 1,130 combat hours over Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.
As Fighter Squadron Commander, Vargas led his airmen through 20,000 combat hours in a two-year period, earning recognition as one of the premier squadrons in the Air Force. As Operations Group Commander he ensured the 24/7 air defense of Washington, D.C. garnering the top aerospace defense unit in the nation on two annual occasions. Vargas concluded his military career as the Director of Operations for the Air National Guard, providing support, policy, direction and $1.9B in resource allocation to 90 Wings / 885 Units across the National Guard Enterprise.
Vargas served as a Legislative Fellow in the Office of U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) earning a certificate in Legislative Affairs from the Government Affairs Institute, Georgetown University, as well as performing a tour as the Deputy Director of Plans at U.S. Cyber Command, Fort Meade. He earned his bachelor’s degree in management from the United States Air Force Academy, an MBA from Trident University and a master’s in national resource strategy as a distinguished graduate from the Eisenhower School, National Defense University.