Angela Chao

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Angela Chao
BornMarch 4, 1973
Syosset, New York, U.S.
DiedFebruary 11, 2024(2024-02-11) (aged 50)
Johnson City, Texas, U.S.
Alma materHarvard University (BA, MBA)
OccupationBusinesswoman
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 2009; died 2009)​

​
(m. 2012)​
Parent(s)James S. C. Chao
Ruth Mulan Chu Chao
RelativesElaine Chao (sister);
Mitch McConnell (brother-in-law)

Angela Chao (March 4, 1973 – February 11, 2024[1]) was an American businesswoman who was 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.[2] Her father was James S. C. Chao, who founded Foremost Group in 1964.[3] Her mother was Ruth Mulan Chu Chao.[4] She was the youngest of six sisters, one of whom is Elaine Chao.[5] Her parents were born in mainland 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.[2][4][6] At the age of nine, Chao began joining her father on ship visits.[3][7]

Chao went to Harvard for her undergraduate degree, which she completed in three years, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in economics in 1994.[2][8] She went on to receive her MBA from Harvard Business School.[3]

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,[2] where she succeeded her father as CEO in 2018.[3] 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.[2]

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.[2][9] She was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.[10] Chao was a founding member of The Asian American Foundation and the co-chair of its education committee.[2]

Personal life

Chao married Bruce Wasserstein in January 2009[11] shortly before his death in October 2009. She married Jim Breyer in 2012.[2] A resident of Austin, Texas, her son with Breyer was three years old at the time of her death.[2][3] Chao and her husband had moved to the Austin area during the COVID-19 pandemic, buying a mansion in downtown Austin and a ranch in Johnson City. They had previously split their time between New York City and San Francisco, but before their son was born, they decided to raise him in Austin.[8]

Death

Chao died on February 11, 2024, at the age of 50. According to the Blanco County sheriff, she died after her Tesla Model X SUV went into a pond on her private ranch in Johnson City.[2][3][12][13] After celebrating the Lunar New Year she drove from the ranch's guest house to main house, but accidentally entered a body of water.[8][14] Someone on the scene called 911, and Blanco County emergency personnel arrived at 12:28 a.m., 24 minutes after they received the call.[15]

Chao was under water for over an hour as rescuers tried to reach her and extricate her from the submerged car, the hardened glass of its windows and sunroof proving impossible to break under water. Neither a dive team and nor a cable that was long enough to reach her car were initially available. First responders eventually found a longer cable and towed the car out of the water. Upon her removal from the car at 12:56 a.m., EMS workers delivered "advanced life support" but were unable to revive her.[8][16] As of February 2024, her death was under investigation by the Blanco County Sheriff’s Office.[17]

References

  1. ^ "Angela Chao, shipping industry exec, died on Texas ranch after her car went into a pond, report says". March 11, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Bradsher, Keith; Forsythe, Michael (February 14, 2024). "Angela Chao, C.E.O. of Family's Big Shipping Company, Dies at 50". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Isidore, Chris (February 14, 2024). "Shipping CEO Angela Chao, sister of former Cabinet member Elaine Chao, dies in car crash". CNN Business. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Paid Notice: Deaths: Chao, Ruth Mulan Chu, The New York Times, August 8, 2007|
  5. ^ "Angela Chao, shipping business CEO and Mitch McConnell's sister-in-law, dies in Texas". AP. February 15, 2024 – via ABC News.
  6. ^ Mrs Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, The Foremost Foundation.
  7. ^ Martin, Eric (May 24, 2018). "Angela Chao is putting family values Foremost". TradeWinds. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d Findell, Elizabeth; Bauerlein, Valerie; Hobbs, Tawnell D.; Lombardo, Cara. "A Mistake in a Tesla and a Panicked Final Call: The Death of Angela Chao". WSJ. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  9. ^ Mangan, Dan (February 16, 2024). "Foremost Group CEO Angela Chao died after car went into Texas pond, sheriff says". CNBC. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  10. ^ Hawkins, Lori (February 17, 2024). "Austinite Angela Chao, who died in a car crash, led an impressive professional career". Austin American-Statesman.
  11. ^ Cohan, William D. (March 29, 2010). "Bruce Wasserstein's Last Surprise". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  12. ^ Vlamis, Kelsey; Snodgrass, Erin; Long, Katherine; Newsham, Jack (February 14, 2024). "Angela Chao, CEO of Foremost Group and wife of VC Jim Breyer, dies in a car crash at age 50". Business Insider. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  13. ^ Rogers, Chase; Tony Plohetski (February 21, 2024). "Blanco County officials not releasing records into Angela Chao's death investigation". Austin American-Statesman.
  14. ^ Lee, Lloyd (March 9, 2024). "Angela Chao may have died after accidentally putting her Tesla in reverse, a mistake she made before, WSJ reports". Business Insider.
  15. ^ Reilly, Patrick (March 9, 2024). "Angela Chao made panicked call before dying in 'completely submerged' Tesla on Texas ranch". New York Post.
  16. ^ Rogers, Chase (February 24, 2024). "Austin CEO Angela Chao submerged in vehicle over an hour as rescuers worked to save her". Austin American-Statesman.
  17. ^ Mangan, Dan (February 29, 2024). "Death of shipping CEO Angela Chao under 'criminal investigation,' Texas sheriff says". CNBC. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
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