In honor of Veterans Day, this month we’re featuring a few of our veteran team members for our Tilson Tuesdays employee highlight. This week, meet Brendan Vargas!
Brendan served in the United States Air Force for 22 years. During this time, he held various positions with a focus on Broadcasting and Public Affairs and as a Defense Attaché. Prior to joining Tilson, he also spent four years as a Regional Representative and Veterans Outreach Manager for southern Nevada with the United States Senate. In 2023, Brendan was hired as Tilson’s Director of Government and Community Affairs based out of Las Vegas.
With his extensive experience with outreach, stakeholder engagement, and government affairs, Brendan is perfectly suited for his role with Tilson where he builds and maintains relationships with government and community partners in southern Nevada. As Tilson builds fiber internet networks in Nevada, we want to inform, engage, and collaborate with the communities we serve.
Brendan uses the skills and experiences from his time in the Air Force to be effective in his current role. “Leadership and project execution have both been skills that have come with me from my time in the military,” Brendan said. “These attributes allow me to hit goals on a daily basis.”
As a veteran-led company, Tilson actively recruits and hires veterans because we value their experience and how it applies to the workplace. For those making the switch to civilian life, Brendan says to “prepare for the change in advance and be flexible as you grow into your civilian self.” He urges individuals to be patient and gentle on themselves, noting that “some things will stick with you and work in your new life, and some things won’t.”
Tilson understands that this transition can be difficult, and we want to make it as easy as possible. With 100+ veterans working at all levels of the organization, there is a system of support and understanding in place for our veteran employees.
When not working, Brendan stays busy with the Masonic Lodge and Shriners. He cheers on his favorite soccer team at the Club Atlético River Plate based out of Buenos Aires, Argentina and is an avid reader. He also cares for a pet pug named Pugberto.
Fun fact: In addition to English, Brendan is also fluent in Portuguese. He worked at the U.S. Embassy in Mozambique for three years where he spoke Portuguese every day.
We appreciate your many years of service and love having you on our team – thank you, Brendan!
