James S. C. Chao facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James S. C. Chao
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Chao in 2016
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| Born |
Chao Si-Cheng
December 29, 1927 Malu, Jiading County, China
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| Nationality | Chinese-American |
| Alma mater | Wusong Merchant Marine College (BS) St. John's University (MBA) |
| Occupation | Businessman, philanthropist, Sea captain |
| Title | Founder of Foremost Group |
| Spouse(s) |
Ruth Mulan Chu
(m. 1951; died 2007) |
| Children | 6, including Elaine Chao and Angela Chao |
| James S. C. Chao | |||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 趙錫成 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 赵锡成 | ||||||||
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James Si-Cheng Chao (born December 29, 1927) is a successful Chinese-American businessman and a generous giver, known as a philanthropist. He used to be a sea captain. He is the person who started the big shipping company called Foremost Group. You might also know him as the father of Elaine Chao, who has worked for the United States government.
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Early Life and Education
James S. C. Chao was born on December 29, 1927. He grew up in a small farming village called Malu, near Shanghai, in China. His parents, Yi-Ren Chao and Yu-Chin Hsu Chao, were farmers. They believed that getting a good education was very important.
Chao went to schools near Shanghai. He studied navigation, which is the skill of guiding ships. In 1949, he finished his studies and started working on a merchant ship as a cadet. During a time of war in China, his ship went to Taiwan, and he stayed there.
Career Highlights
In the mid-1950s, James Chao became one of the youngest sea captains. He was only 29 years old! In 1958, he moved to the United States and settled in New York City. He continued his education and earned a master's degree in management from St. John's University in 1964.
Starting Foremost Group
After getting his master's degree in 1964, Chao started his own company, Foremost Group. This company deals with shipping, trading, and finance. It is based in New York.
James Chao has been a leader in the global shipping industry. He has made sure his company's ships are "greener" and better for the environment. Some of his company's ships are very large bulk carriers, which carry huge amounts of goods. In 2004, he was recognized for his long service to the international shipping industry. He was added to the International Maritime Hall of Fame at the United Nations.
Helping Others: The Mulan Chu Foundation
James Chao and his wife, Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, started a foundation in 1984. It was first called the Mulan Chu Foundation. Later, it was renamed the Shanghai Mulan Education Foundation. This foundation gives scholarships to students in the U.S. and China. These scholarships help students go to college. The foundation also helps people from the U.S. and China learn about each other's cultures.
In 2012, Harvard University announced a big gift from the Chao family. James Chao and his family's foundation gave $40 million to the Harvard Business School. This money helped build the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center. It also created a special fund for students called the Ruth Mulan Chu and James Si-Cheng Chao Family Fellowship Fund. This center is used for training business leaders. It was the first building at Harvard Business School named after an East Asian woman or a person with an East Asian last name.
Personal Life and Family
James Chao met his future wife, Ruth Mulan Chu, during World War II. Her family had moved to Shanghai. In 1949, both James and Ruth moved separately to Taiwan. They got married there in 1950.
In 1958, James Chao moved to the United States. His family joined him in 1961. Ruth Mulan Chu Chao passed away on August 2, 2007, after being sick with lymphoma.
The Chaos had six daughters: Elaine, Jeanette, May, Christine, Grace, and Angela. Their first three daughters were born in Taiwan. Their youngest three daughters were born in the United States.
James Chao's oldest daughter is Elaine Chao. She was the first woman of Asian Pacific American background to be part of a U.S. President's Cabinet. She worked as the Secretary of Labor from 2001 to 2009. Later, she was the Secretary of Transportation from 2017 to 2021.
His daughter Angela Chao took over as the CEO of Foremost Group in 2018. Sadly, she died in a car accident in February 2024.
Awards and Recognitions
James Chao has received many awards and honors for his work and kindness.
- In 1992, he received an honorary law degree from Niagara University.
- In 2004, he was the first person to win the Chinese American Academic and Professional Society Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award.
- In 2005, he received the "Ellis Island Medal of Honor."
- In 2008, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recognized him as an "Outstanding American by Choice."
- In 2009, he was welcomed into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans.
- Also in 2009, Nyack College gave him an honorary Doctor of Letters degree.
- In 2010, the Museum of Chinese in America honored the Chao Family with a special award for their achievements.
For many years, James Chao was an advisor and a member of the Board of Trustees at St. John's University. He also received the university's Medal of Honor. He is now a Trustee Emeritus there.
He also led the Chiao-Tung University Alumni Association in America and the Chiao-Tung University Alumni Foundation of America for over ten years, from 1988 to 1999.
See also
- Chinese Americans in New York City
