|
|
|
Tan Nguyen
Hatteberg's People
Reporter: Larry Hatteberg
| September 3, 2006--A place where dreams come true. That's how some citizens describe this country. Tan Nguyen is one who does. He is 19 and already co-owns his own company. He is one of many American's whose
life is two worlds. The one he came from, and the one he is in. |
 |
When you see one of these cars, it belongs to this little company -- FORCE-1. A new security service that began this Summer. And if you look in the office window, of FORCE-1 you'll see Tan Nguyen usually in a meeting. At 19, Tan is one of the co-owners.
"What I heard from my parents was that the United States was the best country you could be in." |
 |
Tan came to this country with his family nearly 15 years ago like many other Vietnamese when much of that country came under Communist control. As he grew, he knew he wanted to get into law enforcement.
"It's a dream come true for all of us." |
That's when he met David Holloway, a veteran police officer who is now Operations Manager of the company. Tan says David believed in the dream and helped it come true.
"It's not what lies behind you or in front of you that makes a difference and that's what I saw in him." |
Nhan Le is a field supervisor for FORCE-1. He spends much of his time on patrol for clients. He too, is from Vietnam. Like Tan, he's getting lots of support at home for his work, especially from his mom.
"This is really exactly what I want to do. She continues to support me and now she calls me her 'Golden' son."
|
 |
|
Meanwhile in a Southeast Wichita back yard, a little bit of Vietnam is visible to Tan's parents. It's the garden they love and work in every day. They do love the United States but sometimes worry about their entrepreneurial son.
"They are afraid that something is going to hurt me. But I stay with it because this is what I want to do. |
And later on, they know that there are people out there who I can help and soon they will be proud of me for doing this."
It is a long way from the dust of history and Vietnam to Wichita. But because of people like David Holloway who believed in Tan and the other owners, a partnership developed that crossed cultural borders.
|
"They are very dedicated and devoted. One word that I think gets overused is the word ‘integrity’ -- doing the right thing when nobody is looking -- and these guys are always doing the right thing."
Youth and experience together, despite cultural differences, it is what the new world is all about. |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
