Angela Chao

Angela Chao
Born	c. 1973 Syosset, New York, U.S.
Died	Template:Death date and given age Johnson City, Texas, U.S.
Alma mater	Harvard University (BA, MBA)
Occupation	Businesswoman
Spouse	Bruce Wasserstein ​ ​ (m. Template:Tooltip; died Template:Tooltip)​ {{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Marriage with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | end | reason }} Jim Breyer ​ ​ (m. Template:Tooltip)​ {{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Marriage with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | end | reason }}
Parents	James S. C. Chao Ruth Mulan Chu Chao
Relatives	Elaine Chao (sister), Mitch McConnell (brother-in-law)

Angela Chao (1973 – February 11, 2024) was an American businesswoman and philanthropist who served as CEO of the Foremost Group.

Early life and education

Of Chinese American heritage, Chao was born in Syosset, New York, and grew up in Harrison, New York. Her father was James S. C. Chao, who founded Foremost Group in 1964. Her mother was Ruth Mulan Chu Chao. She was the youngest of six sisters, one of whom is Elaine Chao. Her parents were born in China, but fled to Taiwan in 1949 due to the Chinese Civil War. Her father came to the United States in 1958, while her mother and three oldest sisters moved to the United States in 1961. At the age of nine, Chao began joining her father on ship visits, exploring the vessels from the inside out, including ballast tanks and cargo holds.

Chao went to Harvard for her undergraduate degree, which she completed in three years, graduating with a degree in economics in 1994. She went on to receive her MBA from Harvard Business School.

Career

Chao worked in mergers and acquisitions at Smith Barney, now a part of Morgan Stanley. She joined their family business Foremost Group in 1996, where she succeeded her father as CEO in 2018. Foremost Group operates a global fleet of bulk carriers. As CEO, she became interested in adding more environmentally sustainable vessels that can burn alternative fuels to the company's roster.

At one point in her career, she was a member of the board of the Bank of China, a vice chair of the Council of China's Foreign Trade and a director of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, a Chinese government-owned enterprise that makes ships for the Chinese military, Foremost Group and other customers. She was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Personal life and death

Chao married Bruce Wasserstein in January 2009 shortly before his death in October 2009. She married Jim Breyer in 2012. A resident of Austin, Texas, her son with Breyer was three years old at the time of her death.

Angela Chao died on February 11, 2024, at the age of 50. According to the Blanco County sheriff, she died after her Tesla went into a pond on her private ranch (named JWCB Ranch, or JW Ranch for short), which is located at 101 Schneider Lane in Johnson City, about 40 miles west of Austin. She was under water for over an hour as rescuers tried to reach her and extricate her from the submerged car. Upon her removal from the car, EMS workers delivered "advanced life support" for 43 minutes, but were unable to revive her. As of February 2024, her death was under criminal investigation by the Blanco County Sheriff’s Office.

Philanthropy

Chao held multiple positions with various charities and business groups, including:

• Member of the American Bureau of Shipping Council
• Member of Harvard Business School's Board of Dean's Advisors
• Advisory director at the Metropolitan Opera
• Member of the chairman's Council of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Member of the Founding Board Council of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
• Member of the Boards of the Shanghai Mulan Education Foundation
• Founding member of The Asian American Foundation and the co-chair of its education committee
• Member of the Board of the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Foundation
• Member of the Board of the Foremost Foundation