I was reminiscing yesterday about a couple of great guys I use to work with, John Wickwire and Hung Nguyen. Even though they came from opposite sides of the planet they shared many similar traits and values.
John grew up in Ephrata and the Moses Lake area of eastern Washington. The son of a Judge, he had a passion for the law. John served in Vietnam and attended Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, and the University of Washington, in Seattle.
Hung was from South Vietnam and served his country as a judge. Because he worked with the Americans during the war he had to escape the country after the fall of Saigon and came to America.
John and Hung both gained followings that were legendary in our industry. Both were well known for their expertise, their creative abilities to solve problems, and their authentic and witty personalities. Both embraced life and always had a sincere hello and a genuine smile for you.
Hung Nguyen
Like many great people we work with, we only really know them mostly from work. I knew their families through conversation. They talked about them all the time with great fondness.
Their office doors were always open and you were always welcome. You’d find them at their desks heaped with reports, documents, notes, maps, and stacks of files working out title issues. Most realtors and lenders don’t realize what goes on in a title plant. Especially now when almost everything is available online, through our computers and networks, databases, and digital documents we often assume that the answers are just a click of the mouse a way. Not so.
Yes it was about the deal, but both were a lesson in ‘give and you shall receive'...
What John and Hung gave was certainly way more valuable than the premium collected. Each served the real estate community, the consumer, and their fellow employees beyond compare. Both dedicated around 30 years each to the industry. I was privileged to have worked with them both.
John Wickwire
They were great examples of turning problems into opportunity. I couldn’t begin to count the title challenges they solved over the years, and I loved hearing the ‘war stories’ as we call them.
They were creative solution providers. Both loved taking on the challenge and gave it their all. Yet, both were absolutely hilarious when it came time for fun, a get together with a couple of beers. This is when the really good stories came out.
At Hung’s memorial service his son told a very endearing story about his father. Hung would go out on the back deck of his home for his morning coffee and a smoke. His son often heard him say, “I wonder, who can I help today?”
If you stop in at the Pike Place Bar & Grill, Seattle, as you enter walk around the bar to your left, just around the corner, you’ll find a bronze memorial plaque reserving the stool for John, their favorite customer.
Thanks guys... I haven’t forgotten why we do this... “I wonder, who can I help today?”
René Fabre is well known for his innovative marketing programs. He is a sought after speaker and motivator known for his knowledge, keen interest, and insightful approach to contemporary marketing ideas and technologies. His obvious passion for the subject is well known and contagious. He frequently gives workshops and round table conversations on Internet Marketing, Social Media Marketing, and Lead Generation.
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