Asian Fortune Your source for all things Asian American
By Jennie L. Ilustre
Photo courtesy of Jim McCallum
Asian American Success (AASuccess) Founder and Executive Coach Dave Nguyen and his team of leaders, students and volunteers are known for always giving back to the community, and to society-at-large as well. Is it any wonder that they go from success to success? Grant givers, community and corporate partners keep beating a path to their door, recognizing the organization’s achievements.
Founded in 2006, AASuccess (www. aasuccess.org and www.facebook.com/AASgivesback) is a non-profit organization that provides free life skills training and coaching, as well as career development and counseling, to underserved minority students from middle school to college in the Greater Metropolitan D.C. Area.
Recently, AASuccess received a $4,000 grant from Cherry Blossom Giving Circle. (Other grantees were Asian-American Homeownership Counseling, Inc., Asian Pacific Islander Queer Sisters and Hepatitis B Initiative, Washington DC.)
“The grant will be used for upgrading and developing a fully integrated and collaborative working environment,” Nguyen saidduring a series of interviews.
Likewise, it will supplement the office rent and utilities for Life Skills Academy, the lifeline of AASuccess’ programs. According to AASuccess leader Yen Le, for the past two years, the organization has posted a 33% increase in enrolment.
Funds will also go to developing “a robust, easy-to-use virtual working environment, where coaches and students could work collaboratively via one single and uniform platform,” Nguyen added.
Nguyen inspires as a leader. Remarked Mike Eastman, 1st Portfolio Vice President/Senior Loan Officer: “Dave Nguyen is visionary. He sees success beyond the horizon. I liked him within minutes of meeting him some 19 years or so ago.”
He added in an email interview: “He is patient, never in a hurry. He has a very soft and caring way in asking something of you. He does not command, demand nor need the spotlight and is happiest to watch those around him succeed.”
“His love for life and humanity translates into his wonderful leadership qualities,” Eastman noted. “If someone does something wrong, he is swift to provide guidance and direction. He corrects issues privately and rewards great work in public.”
Integrity and transparency are also part of AASuccess. Nguyen said that for Fiscal Year 2013, AASuccess received more than $56,000 in donations. This included $38,630 which went to its general operating funds and about $18,000 to the Life Skills Academy (LSA) and Arc360 Civic Projects. A one-time donation of $5,000 was allocated to renovations in May 2013 when AASuccess moved to its new office in Falls Church, Virginia.
From September 2012 through August 2013, facilities expenses – mostly in rent expenses and office supplies – represented nearly 70% of AASuccess’ total expenditures. Another 28% was used to fund main programs. The remaining 3% went to weekly lunches for LSA students. Aside from Nguyen, the Board of Directors is composed of Dr. David Montanari, Ms. K-Mi Nguyen, Scott Plein and Dan Ye.
3 Areas
AASuccess focuses on three activity areas. Life Skills Academy teaches students important life skills that prepare them for rewarding professional careers and productive lives. With Arc360 Projects, students learn to apply their life skills and are encouraged to “Perfect the Act of Giving Back” to the community. The YouthCon Scholarship Program recognizes deserving high school students. The criteria: academic achievements and community service.
Recently, Nguyen and Brand Manager Dieu Le held a series of meetings with a number of new Business Support Community (BSC) Partners. Remarked Nguyen: “We are thrilled to have forged new relationships, which involves seminars, new volunteer life skills coaches, business coaching sessions and work apprenticeships.”
He welcomed partnerships with Violist Tam Tran, Business Development Assistance Group (BDAG), Jeff Levine (Levine Design Studio), Dinh Nguyen (Deloitte Senior Consultant), Computer IT Specialist Nam Nguyen, Bao Nguyen (CEO of Vietnam Capital Advisors), James Kelman (Exchange Program Director at Korea-U.S. Science Cooperation Center (KUSCO)), and Roger Stough (Associate Dean for Research, GMU School of Public Policy).
AASuccess Founder Dave Nguyen
What is your day job?
I work at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), where I supervise the hiring, training, and patent examination process directed to personalized medicine and pharmacogenetics as a member of the Biotechnology & Organics Training Center’s Management Team. In addition, I work as a member of the St. 26 Legal and Business Negotiation Team, in which I represent USPTO to create a new international legal and business standard for inventors’ genetic data submission.
What is your position at AASuccess?
My title is AASuccess Executive Coach. This post involves both the directorship and executive coaching, with an emphasis on executive coaching. Currently, we do not have the Executive Director Position. Our leadership or executive team is based on collective leadership. The emphasis is on executive coaching/mentoring on both leadership and management.
How do you find the time to get involved in civic activities?
I have a full and happy life. I have a beautiful family consisting of my wife, Thuc, and two children, Lani and Liem. They are near and dear to my heart. Additionally, I pursue many hobbies, including tennis and music.
Yet despite all of these many blessings, I used to feel that something was missing. The turning point in my life was in 2007, when I realized that happiness could be found in another place. It could be found not just in my loving family, my career, and my hobbies, but also in the act of giving back. I found joy and fulfillment in working with a group of 20 or so high school students from Fairfax County in 2008.
