Each year hundreds of combat wounded veterans and Gold Star families descend on Dayton, Ohio, to partake in an enriching, life-changing experience called Warrior Weekend to Remember (WWTR), funded by the Blue Skies for the Good Guys and Gals Warrior Foundation (BSG3).
BSG3 was founded by David Hart, Segue Technologies’ Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships; and his brother, John, who is a founding member of Team Fastrax, the largest professional skydiving team in the world.
Hart’s role at Segue was paved with a long professional history, which started with him enlisting in the U.S. Army as a young man. In the Army, Hart completed infantry training, then sought out his spot in the legendary 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment after completing the intense Ranger course. He also became a Pathfinder and Master Parachutist, and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant.
“The military gave me some much-needed discipline and leadership skills,” said Hart, who earned two Army Commendation Medals in service. “It also provided me the opportunity to make some lifelong friendships. Being around warriors and families most certainly gave me a stronger sense of patriotism and respect for the meaning behind the flag.”
Hart’s military and Segue career are both shining beacons of sacrifice and success, spotlighted with leadership and involvement in organizations that affect the IT and Logistics industries. He is currently serving as Regional VP of AFCEA International, the AFCEA Military Mission Outreach (AMMO) Committee Chair on the AFCEA Board of Directors and previously served as Chapter President (2010, 2015, 2016), Vice President of Networking (2009), Director of Awards (2008), and Associate Director of the AFCEA International Board of Directors (2011). In addition to his service, Hart has received both the AFCEA Meritorious Service Medal (2016) and AFCEA Small Business Person of the Year (2017).
“The Army is super effective at training leaders. Particularly the Rangers have the best leadership training in the world,” said Hart. “More than anything, is a sense of duty, honor and selfless service, looking out for your teammates and doing what it takes to complete the mission.”
Beyond Segue and AFCEA, Hart is also actively engaged in leadership roles across the U.S. in DoD Communities. He has served as VP of Dayton Defense, organizing two IT Dialogues with Industry Leaders. He also founded the Miami Valley Presidents Round Table, a base and community leadership meeting, and Fast Rope with nearly 300 members in Dayton, Washington, D.C., Tampa, St. Louis, and San Antonio.
“David and I served together as Rangers, and it’s an honor to serve with him again at Segue,” said Brian Callahan, Segue CEO and President. “[David] has been instrumental in launching several start-ups, serving one as CEO, leveraging his extensive sales and marketing experience.”
Hart has been working for Segue for 11 years and said the Segue mission is one he pursues every day.
“Basically, I get out of bed every day and focus on how to add value and grow the company. I have an amazing team I work with on that purpose. Common activities include Identifying, Qualifying opportunities, developing and leveraging relationships with government and industry,” said Hart. “I’m a right brained sales/marketing type. Working within a complex industry like IT and Federal Contracting, within a company composed mostly of left brain, IT Engineer types was challenging to learn. I came into this over 10 years ago with no IT or government contracting background.”
Hart is an accomplished skydiver with more than 5,000 jumps and uses this experience as a keynote speaker on teamwork and leadership. He is the author of Jump! Leaps in Organizational Performance and Teamwork. He believes that people accomplish great things when they collaborate as a team, working towards a shared vision with common goals. His number one team is his wife Lori and three sons, who reside with him in Mason, Ohio.
“David is truly one of God’s gifts to American veterans,” said Kevin Wallace, Segue Public Relations and Warfighter Outreach. “I met him through BSG3 when I attended WWTR as an honored Purple Heart recipient. I was in a dark place back then and my life seemed to revolve around movement through morbid and non-productive spaces. David helped pull me out of that stuff. I’m now working on my PhD in school, I’m involved in several non-profits myself, and am privileged to work under him at Segue. He has a heart of gold!”
To learn more, visit www.seguetech.com and https://warriorwtr.com.