He’s a man of many layers. You might see John Mejia at a community event, or hosting an impressive tailgate at a sporting event, his charming and beautiful wife Samantha, by his side. Together, they are the epitome of fun.
There are deep currents in his story. His memories from his military service days bring tear-filled eyes, moments he tries to hide, but can’t. Like many veterans, he carries the weight of those experiences on his shoulders, struggling to put into words the magnitude of the decisions he was forced to make and the precious lives he held in his hands.
It’s often a fine line, when interviewing someone about trauma. You want to draw out their emotions to tell their story, but also need to respect boundaries of what they can, and want to, talk about. Mejia opened up a great deal for this story. His story has much joy, too.
When the conversation shifts to his family, the smiles come more easily. As a dad, he beams with pride. He is deeply in love with Samantha, his spouse of 10 years and treasures the life they’ve built together—three children, four dogs and unquantifiable laughter.
Mejia is the chief executive officer of his family-owned business, Mega Service Solutions, in Tampa, which was founded by his father Eddie Mejia. Since taking the helm, he has pulled the company back from organizational instability and is now on track to hit $11 million in revenue, by the end of 2024, with the potential to double that by the close of 2025.
About a week after his interview, and two weeks after that, life in Tampa Bay was, quite literally, turned upside down. First, Hurricane Helene came through Florida and up in the Carolinas, producing a storm surge unseen by many on Florida’s Gulf Coast. It pummeled the beach communities, and left many people to drag their precious belongings to the curb, to be picked up by debris haulers. Inside, families tried to mitigate the murky saltwater that rose in their homes, sometimes a foot at a time.
Just as those people were seeing some progress remediating and rebuilding, Hurricane Milton began its track toward the Tampa Bay area, fueling mass evacuations, as a direct hit would have been catastrophic to the already vulnerable area. This final version of the story you read was being updated, and edited, by the TBBW team in the days following impact.
Mejia and his team were busy during these days, providing help to the community where he could.
It would have been impossible to predict this new layer to his story when we interviewed him, on September 23. But sometimes, things just work like that, don’t they?
Resilience in the Making
Mejia’s story begins in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, though his family later moved to Streamwood, where he was born to two parents from Colombia.
When his parents divorced, at the age of 8, he and his brother went to live with their mother under severely crowded circumstances.
“We moved into a house with three other families—four families total, in a four-bedroom home, with one bathroom,” Mejia recalls. “My mother had her bed, my brother had a pullout bed underneath hers and, since I was the youngest, I slept on the floor. We all stayed in that one room, for about two years.”
Despite the tight quarters, Mejia doesn’t remember those years for the lack of space but for the lessons they taught him. After two years of saving, his mother and aunt finally scraped together enough money for a down payment on a house, in Schaumburg, Illinois. It was there that Mejia found an outlet in sports, excelling in wrestling, football and track.
“I think by the end of high school, I was captain of all the football and wrestling, teams ” Mejia reflects. “I knew I had to stand out, and everything you do in school has to be strategic and planned.”
This ambition drove him to apply to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He first attended West Point’s preparatory school, then completed four years at the academy.
“I had to play a sport there too,” Mejia recalls with a laugh. “I didn’t want to wrestle anymore because I was tired of cutting weight and football wasn’t an option. So, I ended up boxing, which, ironically, required me to cut more weight than I ever had.”
Mejia graduated from West Point in a class of 1,300, earning an impressive rank of 122nd. It was during a spring break trip to Cancun, Mexico, in 2010, where he met the love of his life, Samantha, who was also on Spring Break, from Ohio State University. A few months later, she was his date for the Military Ball, and they have been together ever since.
A New Mission
After West Point, with young love blooming, Mejia was ready to move on to the next stage of his life—a stage that would amplify his leadership experience.
He began his career in the Army, choosing to specialize in Air Defense Artillery. He underwent a Basic Officer Leader’s Course, where he learned the fundamentals of being an Army officer, in the Air Defense Artillery branch. This included intensive training on managing Patriot Missile Systems, one of the most complex weapons systems in the Army.
From an early age, Mejia had thought about a military career, particularly after witnessing the events of September 11, 2001, which left a lasting impression on his generation.
“I don’t know why they did this. I didn’t know about trauma, but they brought in the TV and showed us the towers going down, during 9/11,” Mejia recalls. “My uncle was already in the Military and my brother joined in the 2000s. So, Iraq and Afghanistan were always on my mind.”
After completing his Basic Officer Leader’s Course, Mejia was stationed at Fort Hood, Texas (now renamed Fort Cavazos,) with Samantha by his side.
“One of the things we promised each other was that we weren’t going to have a big wedding—we wanted to focus on getting our master’s degrees first,” Mejia says. “I got to Fort Hood in December 2014, and, by January, I already had my deployment orders.”
With his first deployment fast approaching, Samantha and John made a quick trip to the local courthouse, on their lunch break, to get married.
“All you needed was $20 in cash,” Samantha says, with a laugh, recalling the tall man in a cowboy hat and boots who officiated their ceremony.
In September 2015, Mejia left for his first of three deployments.
Guarding the Skies
Mejia’s time in the military instilled a mentality of resilience, innovation and a deep commitment to his team—qualities he would later carry into the business world.
“What air defense does is position you in the country next to where the war is,” Mejia explains.
His first deployment took him to Bahrain, where he served on an Air Force Base. His primary responsibility was overseeing missile defense systems, to protect the region.
“I remember being stationed there and talking with a pilot who was heading out for a mission in Syria,” Mejia recalls. “We were grabbing bagels together, before he left to drop bombs.”
Mejia’s role involved neutralizing incoming missile threats, a high-stakes responsibility that demanded precision, and composure, under pressure. This deployment not only tested his leadership skills but also solidified his unwavering commitment to his soldiers and the mission.
Yet, this part of Mejia’s story often chokes him up the most. When he speaks of the soldiers under his leadership, the weight of responsibility is palpable. It takes him several attempts to share it.
“You get over there and take over a unit of about 85 to 90 soldiers. They don’t know you,” he says, visibly struggling to find the right words. “You have to take care of them…as a commander, it’s your responsibility. If something happens to them…” and then he stops, unable to continue his thought.
He later reflects, “When you do get home safe, you never fully recover,” Adding that he still has issues sleeping, at times.
The Family Stone
Meanwhile, at home, Samantha was holding down the family unit, now with small children. Mejia’s return marked not just a personal reunion, but a pivotal moment for the family business.
“John came back with a wealth of experience from the military, but he also had a strong vision for how to revive the company,” Samantha recalls. “He was determined to make it not just survive, but thrive.”
Upon stepping into his role as CEO, Mejia quickly realized that revitalizing the business would require not only a strategic vision but also a complete overhaul of its operations. The company had plateaued, at around $2.4 million in revenue, and it was clear that innovation would be essential for the business to see growth.
“Coming back, I had to assess everything,” Mejia recalls. “I knew the industry because I grew up in it, but I also knew that to move forward, we had to adapt to new technologies and methods.”
He leaned heavily on the lessons he had learned in the military, emphasizing teamwork and resilience.
“In the Army, you learn that you’re only as strong as your team,” Mejia says. “I brought that mentality to the business. We all had to work together to overcome the challenges we faced.”
One of his first moves was to streamline operations. He implemented new customer relationship management systems and automated processes to improve efficiency. He attended tech conferences to learn about the latest industry trends and reached out to industry leaders for advice.
“I had no ego about it,” Mejia says. “I reached out to CEOs of larger companies and asked for their insights. Most were willing to help.”
Under his leadership, Mega Service Solutions transformed into a more agile, and competitive, company. By the end of 2024, the company is projected to reach $11 million in revenue and, next year, to double that.
The Next Assignment
Mejia’s experiences in the military inspired his commitment to philanthropy. He actively supports veterans and military families through initiatives like the Gold Star Family Golf Tournament, which raises funds for families who’ve lost loved ones to military-related causes.
“I’ve seen firsthand the challenges that veterans face after returning home,” Mejia says. “It’s important to me to give back and ensure they have the support they need. These families deserve our help.”
In Tampa, Mejia is deeply involved in various philanthropic endeavors from supporting local food banks to helping veterans transition into civilian life, through mentorship and business opportunities.
“I want to use my success to lift others up,” he says. “It’s about more than just business, it’s about community and responsibility.”
A core philosophy that has driven Mejia’s life is the belief in never underestimating yourself.
“I want people to know that there are no limits, if you believe in your potential,” he says. “Defying the odds is what life is about and I hope to inspire others to do the same.” ♦
GIVING BACK THE MEGA WAY
Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the distress, and tragedy, that many were experiencing in the Greater Tampa Bay area was truly heartbreaking.
“Our team has stepped up, leaving their homes to assist our partners and clients throughout the region, helping them reach a point of comfort and stability. We’ve been involved in junk removal, demolition and remediation efforts across Tampa,” Mejia says. “Unfortunately, there are insurance companies that appear to be taking advantage of people through questionable claims practices, and we are doing our best to help residents make the most of what they have, knowing that for many, this is their home.”
After hosting the Mega Golf Classic, for three years, to benefit Gold Star Families, Mega Service Solutions will take a new direction in 2024, inspired by their growing Tampa network.
“While not everyone in our community is a golfer, they certainly know how to celebrate Tampa style. This led to the creation of the MeGala, a playful nod to the Met Gala, which will support a close partner organization, Action Zone, led by two incredible leaders, Rosie Lee and Valerie Lavin,” Mejia says.
Action Zone’s mission is “To empower veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs as catalysts to help their communities’ become centers of economic growth and workforce development while celebrating and fostering the inherent diversity of our military population.” The organization does this by supporting veterans as they transition into new roles, providing them the opportunity to build something for themselves through mentorship and guidance after their service to our country is complete.
“As an entrepreneur myself, I believe in the impact of such programs. Action Zone has been, and will continue to be, a tremendous asset for veterans and their spouses, helping them navigate this new chapter in their lives. Supporting this Gala will support those who served, and you’re expected to come in style,” Mejia says.
