Tan Nguyen, CEO and Founder of NuWin Enterprises

NuWin Enterprises

Kauffman Center Ensemble
Founding Member 2014

Tan Nguyen, founder of NuWin Enterprises, speaks as enthusiastically about his four-year-old software company as he does about the arts.

Insider Question:
How did you first get connected to the Kauffman Center?

Tan:
I was fortunate to attend  a Kansas City Symphony concert with a friend a few years ago and loved it.  We talked extensively about the value of the arts in the community, especially in regards to children.  That discussion was the catalyst for getting more involved with the Kauffman Center.

IQ:
Did you attend performances as a kid?

Tan:
My mother, sisters and I are refugees of the Vietnam War.  We grew up very poor in Pennsylvania.  There were very few escapes for me until I found the arts.  Through organizations like the Boys Club of America and the generosity of the Milton Hershey School, I was exposed to the arts.  Through music and theatre productions, I was inspired to be more and aspired to do so.

IQ:
Your company is very young, yet you’ve already established a foundation to help others. What is your goal with your foundation?

Tan:
We wanted to find ways to reach kids in need from various socio-economic backgrounds. The NuWin Foundation is a way to honor the Milton Hershey’s tradition of providing both “inspiration and aspiration.”

IQ:
Plus you’ve stepped forward to be chairman of Ensemble, the Kauffman Center’s business membership program. Why would you take on that responsibility?

Tan:
Ensemble is leveraging the influence of our local leaders to become champions and advocate the benefits of the Kauffman Center to the entire community. Everything is connected. The more people we get into the Kauffman Center, the more we get folks to step forward to become involved in any way that works for their own passion. The more funds will filter to programs like Open Doors to get kids to concerts.

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