How The 9/11 Tragedy Pushed Her To Build Anew

No.374

Keri Mungo

SABG

Three-year growth 1,228.9% | 2018 revenue $21 .7M Arlington, Virginia | Founded in 2005

- Kevin J. Ryan

Keri Mungo is co-founder and CEO of SABG—the Strategic Alliance Business Group—which provides technical services for the federal government, including the Missile Defense Agency and the Department of Defense. Prior to starting her company, she spent four years in the Army and worked at the Pentagon—a job she left several months before September 11, a decision that will stay with her the rest of her life.

I joined the Army in April 1997. After boot camp and school, I was sent to South Korea. My company met people when they got off the plane and determined where within the country they were needed. It was an interesting job.

My first sergeant had just come from the Pentagon. I was on orders to go to Fort Worth when I finished in Korea, but she convinced me I should take a role at the Pentagon. I reported to Lieutenant General Timothy Maude, the Army’s deputy chief of staff for personnel.

I started at the Pentagon in January 1999. I was working in the management support office. That’s where I met Sunny Pak Wells. She and I were both lower Army ranks, and there weren’t a whole lot of us in the Pentagon, so we were propelled together immediately. Every morning, we would get coffee and chitchat before work.

We spent a lot of time together outside of work. On weekends, she and her fiancé, Chris, would come over and play gin rummy with me and my husband at the time. She and I usually were partners and would try to beat our significant others. She was my best friend.

One day, General Maude’s secretary got a new job and left. He needed a new secretary quickly. They pulled me in and I started working for him while they looked for a permanent replacement.