With mission requirements more diverse in scope and geography, the United States Department of War and other intelligence and national security agencies have deepened their reliance on the defense industrial base. The demand for solutions in AI and data, assured communications, offensive and defensive cyber, weapons systems, and network technologies continues to soar. This has placed welcome pressure on the CEOs of market-leading systems integrators, cybersecurity companies, and defense tech providers to invest in growth and innovation.
It is in this environment of high demand that investment banking firm Piper Sandler hosted its first-ever Government and Defense Technology CEO Summit in Washington, D.C., in September. The firm brought together a distinguished group of executive-level speakers to discuss expectations for defense and national security, and how their respective companies are working to address the evolving needs of the warfighter.
Among those leaders was Dave Wajsgras, Chairman and CEO of Everfox, a defense technology company focused on helping government and critical infrastructure organizations secure and move trusted information across complex environments.
Wajsgras brought a perspective shaped by more than 25 years across technology, defense and communications, including leadership roles at Raytheon and Intelsat. At Everfox, he sees a significant opportunity at the intersection of trusted data, cybersecurity, AI, and mission speed.
“Every day, the threat environment is getting more challenging and complex,” Wajsgras said. “AI is changing the speed and scale of attacks, while the mission increasingly depends on getting trusted information to the right people and systems, across networks, classification levels, organizations and geographies.”
That challenge is at the heart of Everfox’s strategy. The company has built its business around two core areas: cross-domain solutions and insider risk. Its cross-domain capabilities enable organizations to securely move data across security boundaries, while its insider risk solutions help protect government networks and critical infrastructure.
“We’re not trying to be all things to all people,” Wajsgras said. “We know our core competencies, and we’re going broader and deeper in the areas where we can make the biggest difference for our customers.”
For Wajsgras, that focus is grounded in a broader philosophy shaped by his experience leading companies through periods of significant change. He has a track record anticipating how customer needs may evolve, and when to invest ahead of those needs.
“I’ve always believed you have to be your own competitive disruptor, getting in front of customer needs and investing in game-changing capabilities,” he said.
That approach is particularly relevant as defense and national security customers look to accelerate the adoption of advanced technology while maintaining the security, trust, and resilience required for mission-critical operations.
For Everfox, Wajsgras sees an opportunity to build on its differentiated capabilities while helping customers navigate an increasingly complex threat environment.
“We have a great team, a differentiated platform, and the demand signal from our key markets has never been stronger,” he said. “We’re just getting started.”