Join us on The DMV Business Show with Otto Sevilla as we share the journey of Hector Collazo, President of Navteca, discusses his journey from humble beginnings in Puerto Rico to leading an innovative technology company in the DMV area. Hector shares his childhood experiences, growing up with a single mother, discovering a passion for fixing things, and eventually excelling as an elite table tennis athlete. He talks about the discipline and sacrifice required to reach a high level in sports, and how those lessons translated into his professional life.
Hector details his early engineering career, including significant roles supporting the U.S. Navy, Army, Coast Guard, and Air Force—highlighting a transformative year spent in Iraq during wartime, supporting military missions as a contractor. He underscores the importance of taking calculated risks, a recurring theme in his story, from moving overseas to shifting between technical fields like engineering and cybersecurity.
After a career that took him from Puerto Rico to Las Vegas, Texas, and ultimately the DMV area, Hector shares insights on the importance of building strong relationships and the value of mentorship and service. He reveals how his passion for innovation and mission-driven technology led him to Navteca, where he’s now president and part-owner.
Hector explains what Navteca does: specializing in cloud solutions, AI, data science and visualization, and software development, particularly for government agencies like NASA and NOAA. He highlights impressive projects tackling real-world problems—such as using AI and data visualization for wildfire response and collaborating with NASA on open science platforms and mission-focused solutions.
Throughout the episode, Hector emphasizes leadership, team-building, the value of sharing knowledge, and cultivating long-term relationships, both personal and professional. He offers career advice for anyone looking to climb the corporate ladder or make bold career pivots, especially in tech and government contracting.
The conversation also covers business ownership, the future of innovation in the public sector, current challenges like finding top tech talent, and Hector’s excitement about expanding Navteca’s footprint, particularly within the Department of Defense. The episode wraps up with reflections on balancing work, family, and personal development—underscoring Hector’s drive to make a positive impact for future generations.
If you’re interested in technology innovation, government contracting, or stories of perseverance and leadership, this is a must-listen episode!
This episode is brought to you by: SEVI - The first commercial real estate company committed to the four C’s: Commercial Real Estate, Community, Content, and Culture
https://seviproperties.com/
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