This was published in the Orange County Register yesterday in support of Hieu Nguyen for Clerk-Recorder…

County recorder’s office doesn’t need another politician

By Dale Dykema For The Register

I’ve been told that the Orange County Board for Supervisors has a tough staffing decision to make. They will be interviewing 11 candidates for the position of county clerk recorder and selecting one over the next few weeks.

If I were able to vote, it would be an easy decision.

My company deals with county recorders all over the country. We’ve been using county recorders for almost 50 years. We’ve seen good ones, and we’ve seen bad ones. Since we moved our business to Orange County in 1972, we’ve had two outstanding recorders and two who would have been fired from their jobs had they been in the private sector.

Gary Granville was one of the two outstanding ones. Gary was simply interested in providing the best possible service to the public and to the various real estate-related businesses that rely on the recorder. Those businesses cannot adequately serve their customers without an efficient recorder’s office.

Gary was also a leader in automating systems. He was at the forefront of electronic recording. He ran the office as if it was his own business and did things in the most cost-effective and efficient manner.

As you read this, you may wonder why I’m writing about someone who was the recorder a decade ago. Here’s the reason:

Gary’s chief deputy for over eight years was Hieu Nguyen. Hieu was Gary’s right hand when Gary was upgrading the recorder’s functions and installing new systems. Hieu continued to work for Gary’s successor until he was promoted to another position with the county.

Hieu is one of the candidates the supervisors will be interviewing. He is the most qualified candidate. He, like Gary Granville, is not a retired politician or someone who is interested in running for higher office.

Had Hieu been elected when he ran for the office in 2010, the recorder’s office would not have provided an income to the city council candidate who did practically nothing to earn that money.

He would not have purchased a completely unnecessary building with funds that legally could not be used for that purpose. That building sits unused today and will require millions for renovation before it can be used.

We don’t need another politician to run the recorder’s office.

We need a dedicated professional who will provide the best service to the citizens and businesses of Orange County.

That professional is Hieu Nguyen.

Dale Dykema is founder and chairman of T.D. Service Financial.