Rick Wagner, CEO of Agile Defense, has received the 2026 Wash100 Award in recognition of his continued influence across the GovCon sector and the decisive leadership he has demonstrated since taking the helm of the company.
His seventh Wash100 win highlights his efforts to help expand Agile Defense’s artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and digital transformation capabilities, while enhancing the firm’s support for defense and federal civilian missions.
Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award, visited Wagner at the Agile Defense office in Reston, Virginia, on March 16 to present the honor.
“Seven Wash100 Awards is an incredible achievement and a true reflection of the steady, trusted leadership Rick brings to GovCon year after year,” said Garrettson. “As CEO of Agile Defense, Rick has led with clarity and purpose, growing the company while keeping a strong focus on delivering mission-critical solutions across defense, cybersecurity and digital transformation.”
“He combines strategic vision with a hands-on commitment to customer success that resonates across the industry. This continued recognition speaks to Rick’s enduring impact and the high standard of excellence he consistently sets in federal contracting,” Garrettson added.
Why Did Rick Wagner Win the 2026 Wash100 Award?
Wagner’s latest Wash100 recognition honors his leadership in guiding Agile Defense through several key strategic achievements. The company completed the acquisition of IntelliBridge in January 2025 and finalized its integration in November.
“This acquisition marks an exciting new chapter for Agile Defense. We are enhancing our team with the incredible talent and tech capabilities from IntelliBridge, accelerating our ability to deliver world-class solutions to the missions that rely on our expertise,” said Wagner. “I am equally excited about the incredible opportunities this unification will unlock for our growing workforce, paving the way for greater innovation, collaboration, and unparalleled professional development.”
Agile Defense also expanded its AI and digital services capabilities and secured significant contract awards supporting both defense and civilian agencies. These include a spot on the Missile Defense Agency’s potential 10-year, $151 billion Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense contract vehicle; a $44 million IT engineering contract to support the Military Sealift Command; and a two-year, $25 million Small Business Innovation Research Phase III contract awarded to its subsidiary RevaComm.
Who Is Rick Wagner?
Rick Wagner is an industry veteran who was named CEO of Agile Defense in October 2023, replacing Jay Lee, who served in the role for 14 years. Before joining Agile Defense, Wagner was president of Microsoft Federal, where he oversaw a $5 billion business segment providing technology services to the federal sector. He also served as president of ManTech’s mission, cyber & intelligence solutions group and held multiple leadership roles during his 16-year stint at TASC. Earlier in his career, Wagner served as a project manager at Lockheed Martin, where he led software independent verification and validation for a classified customer, and as a deputy project manager at Raytheon for the development of test equipment for the Standard Missile.
Throughout his career, Wagner has led initiatives focused on cloud modernization, cybersecurity and mission-focused technologies across major federal programs. His impact in the government contracting sector has been recognized with multiple Wash100 honors prior to his move to Agile Defense.
What Is the Wash100 Award?
The Wash100 Award, founded by Garrettson in 2014, is Executive Mosaic’s premier annual recognition honoring the most influential leaders in government contracting and the federal sector.
Honorees are selected through a competitive review process that evaluates leadership, innovation, vision and measurable impact over the past year, along with their potential to shape the future of the GovCon landscape.
Executive Mosaic congratulates Rick Wagner and the Agile Defense team on this latest Wash100 achievement.
Vote for Wagner in the 2026 Wash100 Popular Vote Contest!
