Dan has spent his career in finance and public impact, helping organizations make smarter, more sustainable decisions. He serves on the Summit Environmental Commission and has been a consistent voice for transparency, community investment, and fiscal responsibility.
Dan is running to ensure every voice in Summit is heard—and that public dollars are used wisely to serve the whole community.
Education and Career
Dan was born and raised in small-town Pennsylvania by parents who were schoolteachers and small business owners. His academic journey led him from his local public school to Dartmouth College and Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, both on scholarships. This educational foundation prepared him for a successful career in sustainable investing.
Community Involvement
Mentor and Judge: Dan serves as a mentor to student entrepreneurs and a judge for the Turner MIINT Competition at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Summit Environmental Commission: Since 2022, Dan has served on the Summit Environmental Commission, appointed by both Democratic and Republican mayors.
Board Member: He served as finance warden of his church and has held leadership roles in various community organizations, including nine years as a board member and credit committee member of Root Capital, supporting small agricultural producers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Personal Life
Dan and his spouse of 27 years, Greg Vargas, have called Summit home for the past eight years. Their daughter, Caroline, is a proud Summit High School graduate studying at American University. Dan’s mom, Lorys, is 98 years young and lives in their garden apartment downstairs. She regularly beats Dan at cards. The smallest family member, Jumanji, enjoys walks with his canine friends.
One evening in 2023, his daughter was stopped at a red light on Morris Avenue when a drunk driver hit her car at full speed. The car was totaled. When Dan arrived soon afterward, Summit's EMT, police, and fire departments were already on the scene and fully in control. Fortunately, his daughter's injuries were not severe. The strength of Summit community institutions left a lasting impression, on a night he will never forget.
With rising challenges facing Summit and our country, Dan wants to give back to the community that has done so much for his family.
