PROFILE for Frances Nguyen, candidate for Westminster City Council.

Name: Frances The-Thy Nguyen

Occupation: Trustee Westminster School District/Small Business Owner

FRANCES NGUYEN.

Office Being Sought: Westminster City Council (#8 on the ballot).

Education: La Serna High School (Whittier), Bachelor of Science, Computer Information Systems, Cal Poly Pomona; MBA- International business: (Argosy University), Costa Mesa.

Family: Married 25 years, 2 children

Public Service:

– Board Member of Westminster School District.

– Chairperson – Boys Scout of America – El Capitan

District.

– First woman with two-terms president, Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California (UVSA)

– First woman president of Westminster Chamber of Commerce.

– Dr.Ding-Jo Currie, President of Coastline Community College’s Business Advisory Board Member.

– Chief of Police Westminster’s Advisory Board Members.

– Measure M Oversight Committee Member;

Campaigned for Measure M to rebuild the three colleges: Orange Coast College, Golden West College and Coastline Community College.

– Girl Scout Leader

– Vietnamese Language Teacher – Van Lang School –Westminster

– Advisory Member, Citizen’s Oversight Committee for Measure C – Coastline Community College District

– Advisory Member, Coastline AANAPISI – American Asians Student Success

– Part-time College Faculty.

– Substitute Teacher Garden Grove Unified School District.

Why do you want to run for this office?

I have been a go-to community leader for the past 35 years, building the next generation in leadership. I own my own business, named Golden Trophy in Westminster; small business is the backbone of the economy. I’m proud of the being a small business owner and earned the Small Business of the Year in Westminster.

Several years ago, I have helped campaigning for Measure M, which generated funding to rebuild the three colleges: Orange Coast Colleges, Golden West

College and Coastline Community College. The three colleges are now equipped with new technology for the students, new classrooms, new buildings, new student centers, new library, new science center, etc.

Afterwards, with city-wide support, I was overwhelmingly elected to be a Trustee on the Westminster School Board. I’m proud to be on the Board to help students get ready for high schools and then, ready for colleges.

As an educator, I believe education plays a vital role for our children and I would like to be prepared for life with knowledge. The power of knowledge is extremely important for the real world.

Beside education, being a business owners, I see the City has not reached its maximum strengths in supporting business owners: how to find funding/loan to help business owners; how to educate business owners to collect sales tax; how to educate business owners to bring their business mainstream and vice versa; how to advise local residents to shop locally to generate revenues for the City of Westminster.

As a past president of Westminster Chamber of Commerce, I have the ability to bring resources to help small business owners and to help anyone who would like to open a business, since I am also a part-time faculty at colleges, teaching Small Business.

 What do you think the major issues facing your city, and what would you do about them?

I would look at the budget and determine how the budget can be improved to meet its expenditures. Find ways to find more revenues for the City of Westminster: new restaurants, rebuilding the Westminster Mall, federal grants, etc.

Safety issues for the people in the City of Westminster are important. We need our police officers and our firemen. We need to protect our children while they are at school. That is why, we have preventive programs to teach our people how to defend ourselves if there are shooting incidents occur. There is a partnership between the Westminster Police Department and the Westminster School District. I have personally met with Chief Ralph Ornelas and present my concerns to find ways to protect our residents.

I would like to make the City of Westminster richer, rich in resources, rich in love, rich in kindness, rich in compassion, rich in diversity so we can live altogether with no animosity, rich in building faith for our younger ones, rich in family values, rich in rebuilding our society values.

Providing the best needs for our residents. Help solving the homeless situation. Coyotes in my neighborhoods. Helped build the neighborhood watch in the Indian Village and will continue to help more Neighborhood Watch. WE NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR EACH OTHER.

This candidate profile was presented as a free public service. It has been lightly edited.