Veteran.
Engineer.
Pro Union,
Pro Worker
Ready to fight for the people of Pennsylvania’s 16th District.
Justin Wagner for Congress-
Mercer County’s Homegrown Candidate
I was born and raised in Greenville and Transfer, Pennsylvania, where my family had
lived for eight generations. After my graduation from Reynolds High School in 1998, I
continued my education at ITT Technical Institute and took additional classes at
Youngstown State University.
I started working at the age of 15, earning my way through school. My early jobs
included bagging groceries at Giant Eagle and working at Trinity Industries (the old
Steel Car plant), where I loaded steel plates into a furnace all day. I would attend
classes all morning at ITT, then head straight to Trinity for the evening shift- a work ethic
that has never left me.
After completing my education, I answered the call to serve my country. I joined the
Army, completing basic training at Fort Jackson and Flight Operations Specialist training
at Fort Rucker. I went on to serve in South Korea with the 6th Calvary, then stateside at
Fort Hood, Texas, with the 4th Infantry Division. In 2006 I deployed to Iraq, supporting
combat operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom. After my active duty tour, I
continued my service in the Army Reserves with the 377th Engineer Company in Butler,
Pa.
For the past 15 years I have worked as a senior automation engineer. I began my
career helping commission a new steel plant in Youngstown, Ohio, and have since
worked with organizations including NASA, Boeing, and Ford. I also served as an
engineer for the City of Seattle, where I helped provide clean water and wastewater
treatment for more than 750,000 residents and supported salmon conservation through
innovative machinery and control systems. Today I work in the life sciences industry,
supporting some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. I am a past
member of both the UAW and IBEW.
I met my wife Amanda-also an U.S. Army veteran- while stationed in South Korea. We
have been married for 21 years and have 4 daughters, all of whom have been home
schooled for the past 11 years. Our family has embrace education as a lifelong
adventure, traveling across the U.S. and abroad to learn from real world experiences.
Outside of work and family I enjoy coaching youth hockey, tackling home improvement
projects, fishing, hiking, and building LEGO sets with the kids. I am also a musician,
playing in both a local band and with my church’s worship group.
I am running for Congress to make my community safer, stronger, and more self reliant.
I believe Western Pennsylvania deserves real representation-someone who will fight
for local veterans and labor, ensure families have access to affordable healthcare, that
people’s rights are protected, and to make sure every school has the tools they need to
prepare the next generation.