2010 FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award

ATLANTA—Today, Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Lamkin, FBI Atlanta, presented the Director's Community Leadership Award for 2010 to Daniel O. Vargas, a local business owner who sits on numerous Atlanta-area Hispanic and intercultural advisory boards. Early next year, FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III will host all of the FBI's 56 selectees from around the country at a national ceremony to be held at FBI Headquarters, with Mr. Vargas present as Atlanta FBI's honoree.

In 1990, Mr. Vargas founded Vargas, Flores and Amigos, the only Hispanic advertising agency in Atlanta at that time. Mr. Vargas soon established himself among his peers and business community leaders as one of the most knowledgeable persons regarding issues impacting the Latino community.

Dan Vargas serves on numerous advisory boards in the Atlanta area, to include The Mexican Center, the Roswell Intercultural Alliance, Hugh Spaulding Children's Hospital, The Latin American Association, United Way Outreach Program, as well as co-chairing the Cobb County Hispanic/Latino Initiative.

Dan and his wife, Jennifer, helped found The Three Kings Celebration after visiting a mission in Athens, Georgia. The mission, run by three nuns, consisted of 240 trailers in a trailer park with multiple families living in each of these trailers. Many of these families had no substantial resources to survive. Through the efforts of Dan and his wife, over 11,400 diapers, 51 baby cribs, numerous twin beds, sleeping bags, clothing, and food were procured for these families in need. In addition, over 1,500 new toys were donated from the Toys for Tots campaign, to be distributed to the children during the holidays.

Dan Vargas has earned more than 75 national and international community service awards and is a member of the FBI Atlanta Citizens Academy Alumni. As such, Dan has not only demonstrated his commitment to the community at large, he has also worked to bridge the gap between the Hispanic community, the law enforcement community, the FBI, and the larger community as a whole.