Hieu Tran is a former naval officer of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces before April 30, 1975, after which he was a boat refugee who fled communism and resettled in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in 1981. For over 34 years, Hieu was a supervisor at a Calgary- based company specializing in the production of agricultural equipment for Canada and worldwide before retiring in 2015. Since 1990, he has been actively involved in serving the Vietnamese community in Calgary through organizations such as the Association of Former Republic of Vietnam Military Personnel, Vietnamese Language School, and the Education Encouragement Committee. He is currently a member of the Committee for the Construction of the Journey to Freedom Park and Boat People Monument, located at the entrance of International Avenue SE, which was inaugurated on July 1, 2023.