Business Fit Magazine September 2019 Issue 2 | Page 26

Interview
this is common with her generation – if we spoke
Spanish, then we would grow up and be factory
workers and blue collar workers like the rest of
the family – and my grandmother was not going
to allow that to happen. She would often say
that her grandchildren would grow up one day
and wear suits and ties to work, and we’d get
an education and graduate from college. In her
mind, we had more opportunities if we spoke
English, and so she made it a rule that we were
not to learn Spanish. And unfortunately, she
passed away many years ago, but I think she’d be
happy today. Her dreams for her grandchildren
were realised – and we have her and my family
to thank for it.
Despite our
differences,
we all deserve a
second chance
You recently launched your
own speaker series. Tell us
about that.
I had been in discussions for some time with
Judson University President Dr. Gene Crume
about the best way to leverage my unique
network and support my alma mater at the same
time. And so when Dr. Crume proposed a new
speaker series as part of the University’s World
Leaders Forum (WLF) called, “Conversations
with Mark Vargas,” I jumped at the idea. For the
past eight years, the WLF has welcomed guest
speakers on campus including former president
George W. Bush, former British Prime Minister
Tony Blair, former Mexican president Felipe
Calderon, former president of the Soviet Union
Mikhail Gorbachev and many more! And to link
my new speaker series with the WLF, which
raises money for student scholarships was quite
an honour.
Twice a year, I’ll invite some of the most
recognisable names in business and politics to
join me for an informal, one-on-one conversation
covering a wide range of topics – from current
events to politics, business, life lessons,
successes and failures, and inspiring stories. This
unique and behind-the-scenes conversation will
allow attendees to see a more personal side of
my guests because each guest will be a personal
friend of mine, so the conversation will be more
relaxed.
And more importantly, proceeds
from ticket sales and sponsorships will fund
entrepreneurship and diversity scholarships for
students at Judson. I officially launched my series
on May 16th, and my first guest was billionaire
entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark
Cuban. It was an incredible event and series
launch, and I’m looking forward to announcing
my next guest – look for an announcement very
soon!
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You deployed to Baghdad, Iraq
14 times as a civilian, what was
that like?
From 2007 to 2010, I had the honour of serving
as a civilian within the Office of the Secretary of
Defense on a special Iraq task force handpicked by
senior Defense officials. The task force specialised
in rebuilding war-torn economies by attracting
foreign direct investment opportunities and
helping to facilitate public-private partnerships
to create jobs and drive down terrorist-related
activities associated with high unemployment.
The Spring of 2008 was very dangerous – we
were under rocket and mortar attack probably
25 times a day. Situational awareness is critical
to survival in a combat zone, and so you always
needed to be ready to seek cover in the nearest
shelter. And when we’d drive outside the safe
zone, we were always wearing our “battle rattle”
– bulletproof vests and helmets, in case we came
under a surprise roadside attack.
It was also interesting working in Saddam
Hussein’s palaces. When coalition forces took
control of Iraq from Saddam’s regime, we used
his palaces as office space and living quarters.
We’d swim in his swimming pool, watched
movies in his home theatre, and at night, we’d
go to the palace rooftop and smoke cigars. It was
very surreal.
You’ve become very passionate
about criminal justice reform;
tell us about some of your
advocacy efforts.
At a time when the United States seems so
divided, the idea of fixing our broken criminal
justice system seems to be a rare moment of
bipartisanship and unity. And the First Step
Act, which President Trump signed into law last
December, is a big step in bringing about much
needed changes and reform. Under the Act,
it ends the practice of shackling incarcerated
women during childbirth; it gives incarcerated
non-violent inmates who are elderly or terminally
ill a pathway to go home and die in the arms of
their loved ones, instead of alone, and behind
bars; it places inmates closer to their families;
provides major incentives for inmates to attend
life-changing classes; expands programs to
better assist inmates in rehabilitation and
recovery; and gives thousands of non-violent
inmates the opportunity to come home sooner.
The First Step Act does more than initiate
criminal justice reform; it restores dignity and
decency back into the conversation and sends
a message that despite our differences, with
proper rehabilitation and help, we all deserve a
second chance.
I’ve also written several opinion pieces that were
published nationally; evangelist and civil rights
leader Alveda King, the niece of the late Rev.
Martin Luther King, Jr quoted me in an article she
had written about the need for prison reform,
and I’ve been working behind the scenes with the
White House on criminal justice reform matters.
And although the First Step Act is now law, we still
have many more steps to go. We’re just getting
started.
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