As I sat throughout from Anthony Salzman, higher recognized within the media as “The First American”, I could not assist however surprise what on this planet may rattle such a charismatic, over-achieving, innovating man. Well, let me inform you not very a lot…
Having lived and labored in Vietnam for over 18 years, this native New Yorker is hard as nails. I imply how else may he have survived and succeeded in a rustic beneath U.S. embargo, with inexistant banking system, no vehicles and poor infrastructure?
When you search Salzman on the web, you discover out he performed a key function within the normalization of the Vietnam-US relationship in addition to the signing of the Vietnam-US Bilateral Trade Agreement.
But, you additionally learn he was “the first” at every little thing in Vietnam… Really? I ask him… the primary at every little thing?
Any highly effective man has his detractors, I argue, and people in all probability surprise if Salzman was certainly the primary to ever difficulty a verify… Wasn’t there a banking system in Vietnam earlier than Salzman arrived in 1992? – Was Salzman actually the primary ever to personal a automobile? that appears so unlikely that within the 90’s a rustic like Vietnam would not have vehicles? after which comes the biggie, the Chicago Tribune states that Salzman was “the first” American to ever do enterprise in Vietnam. Come on! certainly there have been different Americans who flew to Vietnam with a greenback and a dream and one way or the other did enterprise there in 1992, no?
Tony Salzman aka “Tony the tiger”, the chairman of V-TRAC Development Co. is a soft-spoken, charismatic (sure I already mentioned that), nearly humble man… As he sits throughout from me whereas I’m taking part in the satan’s advocate, he chuckles at my questions and smiles calmly… unbothered he explains:
T.S: “Banks. No, there have been no overseas banks on this nation after I arrived. No means zero. While I used to be right here, someday after I arrived, the ANZ financial institution Australia was the primary. Citibank was the second. The nation supervisor for the Australian financial institution was an exquisite man named A.M. I selected to ship the caterpillar banking enterprise to him.
I ran one of the profitable and modern advertising and marketing packages ever: it was a contest to seek out the oldest working piece of caterpillar gear in Vietnam. The reward was $1000. At that cut-off date the typical month-to-month wage was $80. Submissions poured in from throughout Vietnam. And, I assumed it was excessive time that the primary verify be issued in Vietnam. It was in any case a 100% money society. A virgin banking market. So, we discovered the oldest caterpillar within the nation that was nonetheless working, a bulldozer in-built 1937. The runner-up was 1939.
There should be some sort of archive photographs of this someplace I’ll attempt to discover them. When we introduced the winner, it was a celebration attended by lots of people, and the winner, who was an engineer who owned a tugboat. Sorry, the oldest engine was on the tugboat, the second oldest on the bulldozer. On the tugboat it was used for the propulsion. I bear in mind having seen these big checks after I was a child on sport exhibits. The ones the dimensions of the mattress. I made a decision that that was precisely what my firm and the financial institution wanted. A big verify with each of our logos on it made out to “bearer”. One of my workers members described the smile on the winners face as ear to ear Ivory! Well, the ivory disappeared when he noticed this factor, the verify, which I introduced he had gained. During the ceremony I proceeded to clarify what a verify is: a negotiable instrument. I advised the viewers that it was about time for Vietnam to start out utilizing negotiable devices, and right here is the primary one! I invited the very perplexed males to return to the stage, after which I gave him an affordable plastic pen. He seemed much more confused. The big verify was held by two bankers as backdrop to me and the very perplexed winner.
At this cut-off date I requested the bankers to show the verify round to indicate the clean facet to the viewers. They did this, after which I requested the winner to signal his identify in order to endorse it. You can think about, he seemed much more perplexed then extra perplexed then extra perplexed! He didn’t need to signal. I then directed his consideration to a different consultant from the financial institution who was holding two plastic procuring baggage bearing the banks brand. The procuring baggage have been bursting full of money. The ivory smile returned. He began to go for the bankers. I mentioned no, you need to signal your identify on the again of the verify. He actually didn’t know what I used to be speaking about however he realized that he was not going to get close to these baggage of money until he signed his identify
So, he signed his identify. Then he headed for the luggage of money and as soon as once more I advised him no, the 2 different bankers who have been holding the big verify gave it to him to hold over to the man holding the 2 baggage of money he carried the massive verify over to the opposite fellow, then an assistant took it from him, and the luggage of money have been delivered into his arms. At that cut-off date in all probability solely me, my spouse, and the bankers understood what the heck was happening! Certainly no one else did! Anyway, that was the primary verify negotiated within the historical past of Vietnam, no matter which authorities regime one talks about.
Now, you’ve got change into the fifth or sixth individual on this planet to know the character of that ceremony and transaction. Unfortunately, I’ve by no means written any of this anyplace, or advised any reporter. Eventually I’ll discover the verify image I hope, in any case it is fairly a narrative.”
Quite a narrative certainly, and that takes care of how the tiger earned his stripe as “the first” American to ever difficulty a verify within the historical past of Vietnam.
But how about being “the first” businessman to do enterprise in Vietnam, that one is fairly preposterous I inform him, now how are you going to clarify that Tony?
He smiles, and with no roar he says: “About being the First American doing business, here I confess that the media took some liberties. In fact, there were two others, neither of them had any employees, but there were two others. Oh yes, I am referring to two other Americans in Hanoi, there were some others in South Vietnam, I never knew who they were.”
So that settles it, Anthony Salzman might not have been the one ” first American” ever to do enterprise in Vietnam, however he most actually was “the first American” ever to have staff in Vietnam. And that’s exactly why in 2010 he was bestowed with probably the most prestigious honor, by receiving the Vietnam Friendship Medal, from President Nguyễn Minh Triết, who acknowledged the American’s huge contributions to Vietnam, principally as a pioneer whose private and enterprise dedication opened a brand new chapter of friendship and cast the way in which for others.
While I’m impressed with all of the anecdotes Salzman shared with me, I level out to him that the satan’s advocate is never happy…
IDG: I’ve to ask Tony, the “first” to personal a automobile in Vietnam? Are you kidding? It was the 90’s, each considerably civilized nation had vehicles… actually how may this be?
Without a pause Salzman explains: “NN-35-01, so 35 means United States,and 01 means the primary individual to register!
The downside arose when the primary United States ambassador was appointed. According to protocol, he needed to have the primary from the United States!
So I hated negotiation and sued throughout which I used to be advised that I needed to give up my 01 license plate. There was an answer, typical Vietnamese model: I used to be given the license quantity 00 001!
There’s additionally a narrative about how I made the match between the ambassador, whose spouse had tragically handed away as a consequence of horrible sickness, and, you guessed it, the feminine banking officer from the Australia financial institution.
Now, if your folks the detractors don’t imagine that I launched the primary American ambassador to his spouse, they should learn the subsequent installment of the story!
Hint: The American ambassador had been a prisoner of struggle in Vietnam. And the girl banker was a Vietnamese immigrant to Australia. So, the Australian newspapers had headlines saying “U.S. ambassador marries Vietnamese lady”.
Well, this younger girl was no slouch! She shot again to reporters saying the headline ought to have mentioned “ex con Marries Australian diplomat”!
Hopes, I blew the punchline. She had been with the Australian assist group in Vietnam earlier than she joined the financial institution.”
That certainly takes care of the “First” to personal a automobile in Vietnam, and of one of the best American matchmaker in Vietnam. Not solely is the file straight however engraved in “steel” fairly than stone, as Salzman tells me he nonetheless owns the older mannequin Mercedes with its 00 001 Vietnam license plate.
As I thank Salzman for this fairly uncanny interview, he graciously thanks me and provides: “When I was a kid there were these stories called “the simply so tales” by Rudyard Kipling. My favorite was “how the elephant obtained its trunk”. I really feel like I’ve defined a bit bit the identical method. [laughs]
In our Just So Story, I say this “tiger” has undoubtedly defined how he has earned his stripes.
Suggested hyperlinks
http://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/27/business/clearing-the-decks-for-a-trade-pact-s-riches.html
Comments