"Alex Vargas’ newlywed parents decided to call Hawthorne “home” in 1971 and shortly decided to begin building their family. In September of 1971, Alex was born and would later be followed by 3 other siblings. His parents managed to raise the family on a single income with Dad working and Mom taking care of the children. Their work ethic not only spoke of hard work but also emphasized education, family values, and social responsibility.

Mayor Vargas attended St. Bernard High School in Playa del Rey, California, graduating in 1989. He attended California State University, Dominguez Hills and graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in Physics. During his undergraduate studies, he obtained a Physics internship at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Mayor Vargas then continued his studies at California State University, Long Beach where he earned a Master of Science in Physics.

In 1997, while in graduate school, Mayor Vargas began working in the aerospace industry on laser and optics programs at Hughes and Raytheon. Most recently he has worked at L3 Communications testing satellite components under Space Environment conditions.

Mayor Vargas currently works as a Physics Professor at El Camino College. In addition, he has been teaching Math and Science to incarcerated adults in the LA County jail system with the intent of reducing recidivism rates of this vulnerable population. 

From 2004-2009, Mayor Vargas served as commissioner on Hawthorne’s Civil Service Commission, where he brought fairness to the review of civil service employee matters. In 2007, he served as founding President for the North Hawthorne Community Association, where he worked with his neighbors to successfully bring peace and security to the neighborhood. He has most recently served on the Centinela Valley HS District Oversight Committee helping the local high schools reach academic success. He is an active supporter of the City’s homeowner’s associations which include Holly Glenn, North Hawthorne, Ramona, Bodger Park, Holly Park, Fusion, 360, Parkside Village, and Traditions on the Greens.

Mayor Vargas decided to run for a seat on the Hawthorne City Council in November 2009. After a successful grassroots campaign, he won the city council race and received the highest number of votes. In December of 2010, he was nominated by his city council peers to serve as Mayor Pro Tem of Hawthorne. He currently serves on several governmental committees on behalf of the City.

In 2015, Mayor Vargas was elected by Hawthorne’s residents to his first term as Mayor of Hawthorne.  Most recently in 2020, Mayor Vargas was elected to his second term, and proudly continues to fulfill the mandate of the people.

Bringing business investments and jobs to the City of Hawthorne has been a top priority for Mayor Vargas. He is actively pursuing this by establishing a more cooperative working relationship between the business community and the City. He has reached out to small business owners providing them with the resources for survival and success. He has organized brainstorming sessions with the community to discuss existing projects and developments. He is an advocate of a strong General Plan in order to see our City grow economically, which in turn will increase the quality of life for all residents.

Since Mayor Vargas began his first term, the City has experienced explosive economic growth, with the City’s reserves growing 1300% from $5M to $70M. Businesses are constantly looking to relocate to Hawthorne, with SpaceX and the Hawthorne Airport corridor as the key point of synergy.

Alex Vargas’ passion and love for the City of Hawthorne has led him to offer fresh new ideas to fight crime and advance the city’s economic renewal plans. Through his careful analysis of the issues at hand, and leadership based on integrity and transparency, Hawthorne is experiencing the positive change that it greatly deserves and needs."