Fight over San Jose Vietnamese museum puts future in limbo

Charges of nepotism and suspicious bank withdrawals surround a fight for control of San Jose’s Viet Museum in History Park – a crown jewel for Little Saigon.

The 147-year-old farmhouse, which stores hundreds of precious artifacts, photographs and art of Vietnam War refugees, now hangs in limbo over a dispute between the museum’s visionary, Loc Vu, and the nonprofit Immigrant Resettlement and Cultural Center that manages it.

The problems started when Vu announced his plan to retire as the nonprofit’s executive director, effective Jan. 1, and proposed appointing his son-in-law as his successor. The six other board members overseeing the nonprofit refused to go along with the suggestion, raising concerns about nepotism and calling for an open selection process. The disagreement opened a rift where Vu accused his board members of meeting secretly and violating the nonprofit’s bylaws, while board members claim Vu locked them out of the nonprofit’s bank account and paid himself $45,000 without their approval.

Vu, a former Army of the Republic of Vietnam colonel who spent significant time and money keeping the museum alive, denied any notion of nepotism or abuse of nonprofit funds.

“These were transparent, temporary loans from my family to address cash flow issues, documented and approved by colleagues long before succession discussions. Claims of impropriety are false and defamatory,” he told San José Spotlight.

He said he didn’t intend on his son-in-law succeeding him permanently.

“My son-in-law Minh, a long-time donor and volunteer, worked with two senior colleagues to draft a transition plan. Minh would temporarily assume my role while a talented team was recruited, after which he would step back, and IRCC would select a new executive director,” Vu said. “I supported this plan, but disagreements arose, with some wrongly labeling it as nepotism. It’s important to note the role is unpaid and focused solely on service.”

Vu, in letters to IRCC board members, has challenged the board’s legitimacy because it hasn’t followed its own bylaws for decades, which call for an 11-member board and annual elections.

While Vu maintains that IRCC is still a legitimate organization, he’s questioning the board’s authority over the museum and threatening a lawsuit. Vu sent a cease-and-desist letter to the nonprofit board which was later circulated with other community members, saying he spent $350,000 of his own money on the museum over 30 years “without receiving a single cent from the city.”

The museum’s architect is now trying to rally other community members to his side – calling for public demonstrations.

“I never expected to be involved in this miserable dispute,” Vu wrote in Vietnamese to community members.

The nonprofit is now competing with Vu for community support,  and its leaders are forced to defend themselves as authorized decision-makers for the museum.

IRCC board member and community organizer MyLinh Pham said she respects Vu’s contributions to the community.

“While we recognize his intention to pass his leadership to the next generation, it raised important concerns,” Pham told San Jose Spotlight. “The board’s primary responsibility is to ensure fairness, transparency and accountability in all manners of governance. Choosing a family member without an open process created unease. It didn’t align with the nonprofit’s best practices.”

Tue Phan, a retired San Francisco immigration court judge and IRCC board member, said Vu prevented other board members from reviewing the nonprofit’s bank account activities by removing their names from the account. In a public letter that’s being circulated in the community, Phan also accused Vu of threatening to dissolve the nonprofit board, which responded by voting to terminate Vu ahead of his retirement.

“No matter how long he or she works or how much credit he or she claims, a CEO cannot view a nonprofit organization as a private inheritance that can be passed on to children and grandchildren,” Phan wrote.

The board has eight members but only six are regularly involved at meetings, according to Pham. The nonprofit board hasn’t followed its own bylaws for decades, including requirements that the board hold annual elections. Pham said the bylaws were drafted 40 years ago by refugees with limited knowledge of nonprofit governance and that it’s operated for decades with fewer members – with no objections from Vu until now.

Pham said the organization is taking steps toward improving its governance structure. She was elected to the board in a formal Aug. 23 meeting alongside Viet Museum Director Hong Cao and Vietnamese American Roundtable Executive Director Phillip Nguyen.

“Over the years, the Immigrant Resettlement & Cultural Center operated on the trust of Mr. Vu, informal practices that worked well for a long time,” Pham said. “But the board has to step in to protect this institution that reflects the community’s values and aspirations.”
 At 92 years old, Vu said he remains passionate about the museum, but his physical limitations require a leadership transition.

“As the museum’s founder, I am committed to ensuring it is led by capable individuals dedicated to its growth and preservation, not by any seeking control without accountability,” he told San Jose Spotlight. “It is a vital community asset that must be protected for future generations.”

Contact Brandon Pho at [email protected] or @brandonphooo on X.