Richard Wajsgras
Vice President, U.S. Public Sector, Groq
Richard Wajsgras’ biggest achievement will be building a world-class public sector organization at Groq dedicated to delivering the full value of North American-made deterministic AI to the U.S. government and public sector.
A core part of that mission is supporting the American AI Action Plan, especially the “Build American AI Infrastructure” pillar. Groq is deploying fast, secure and energy-efficient compute to strengthen U.S. leadership in AI. Wajsgras is building a top-tier team focused on mission success and on bringing Groq technology to the intelligence community, the Defense Department and civilian agencies that serve the public every day.
Groq supports the administration’s goals by providing deterministic, ultra-efficient, domestically made AI compute that cuts cost per token, removes latency variability and reduces power consumption. By simplifying the compiler-to-hardware stack and enabling mission-speed inference, Groq is helping agencies deploy AI faster, more reliably and at lower cost in line with national efforts to restore American semiconductor leadership and strengthen resilience.
“In just a few months, Rich has had a significant impact on our public sector business,” said Ian Andrews, chief revenue officer at Groq. “He’s been building a high-caliber team, fostering and formalizing key partnerships, and has already secured new customers while deepening support for existing ones. Most importantly, he’s putting us in a strong position for success and ensuring we succeed in this market for years to come.”
Why Watch
In 2026, Wajsgras’ team is focused on changing how federal agencies and the public sector experience AI by making inference faster, more predictable and more affordable through Groq’s deterministic platform. The team aims to deliver low-latency, power-efficient compute that reduces cost, strengthens domestic supply chains and keeps the U.S., not its adversaries, setting the global standard for AI performance and trust. By aligning with the American AI Action Plan and its “Build American AI Infrastructure” priority, Groq is helping ensure the next generation of AI infrastructure is built in the United States and ready for mission needs.
“My priority is to build a world-class public sector team at Groq that turns American-made, deterministic AI into real operational advantage for our warfighters, intelligence professionals, and public servants,” he said. “As Winston Churchill reminded us, ‘It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is
required’—and in this moment, what’s required is American leadership in AI.”
Fun fact: Wajsgras was physically present on April 12, 1981, for the first Space Shuttle launch, the maiden flight of the world’s first reusable human-piloted spacecraft. His father was a NASA engineer and lead power systems engineer for the Hubble Space Telescope. Standing beside him that day and feeling the booster rockets shake the ground sparked Wajsgras’ passion for American innovation, shaped his decision to pursue a technical degree and deepened his pride in the country’s spirit of exploration and excellence.