Tami was born in Seoul, Korea and immigrated to the United States via adoption. She became a Naturalized US citizen in 1979.
She began her professional career in 1990 working as a mortgage loan processor for First Security Bank while attending BYU as a Political Science Major. At FSB she specialized in FHA new residential construction loans, learning the ins and outs of federal lending regulations and banking compliance.
Her work in mortgage and residential development led to a successful career as a senior commercial loan officer specializing in multi-million-dollar development lending. She worked for Richards Woodbury and pioneered their in-house pilot lending program, Wardley Financial. Along the way she decided to learn about escrow and title in order to fully understand the real estate and lending industry.
She worked for Realty Title managing their Davis County office and worked as an escrow agent.
In 1991 Tami helped her husband Ly apply for “sponsorship” of his biological family members from Vietnam. Together they accepted the financial responsibility of sponsoring the immigration of all seven of his immediate family to the United States, where they continue to reside as naturalized U.S. citizens.
Tami co-founded their first company with her husband Ly in 2004 after he came to her with an “idea and a dream.” She embraced this new challenge of creating a company from nothing by writing articles of organization, creating by-laws, licensing, and filing. She immersed herself in research and began learning everything possible about the success and management of a profitable business.
As with all small-business owners, Tami has worn multiple hats, where she has been the proposal writer/manager, project manager, HR manager, business developer, compliance officer, the entire accounting department, and much more. Today her primary role as COO allows her to focus her time interacting with other companies, large and small through Joint Ventures, Teaming and Relationship Building.
Her leadership style is to hire skilled professionals and then stand down, while empowering her managers to do what they do best.
She provides leadership and oversight to make sure deadlines, priorities, and strategic goals are met. She believes in accountability and has mastered the art of diplomacy as she provides critical assessments as well as encouragements to her employees working in multiple states across the country.
Her confidence in others’ abilities allows them the flexibility to explore solutions and create outstanding results that customers and employees expect.
Tami believes the keys to success in life are rooted in gratitude. Her commitment to “leave every person and situation in better shape than she found them” is echoed by their project managers and team leads and evident by their excellent examples and service to their customers and fellow employees.
Tami is a current Council Member of the Kaysville City Council and has twice served as a Planning Commissioner on the Kaysville City Planning Commission. She is the liaison to the Community Development department and an active voice on the City Council.
Tami serves with numerous professional organizations. The Weber State University Cyber Security Steering Committee, Cambodia Job Foundation, Rotary Club, Central Davis Interfaith Council, Communities that Care, to name a few.
She’s an active member of her church and has served in many leadership positions. Her favorite assignments are working with youth and teen programs.
She has taught kickboxing, martial arts, and multiple youth fitness programs. She is a second-degree black belt, enjoys cycling, weight lifting and mentoring.
Tami and her husband have been married 31 years. They have two married children Ryan (Aeryun) Tran and Alexa (Peter) Gardiner.
As empty nesters Tami and Ly enjoy boating, golfing, and traveling together with family and friends.
