Angela Chao, Deputy Chair of the Foremost Group, will celebrate with all of her sisters the grand opening of the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center. The Executive Center is the result of a generous gift from a Chao Family Foundation to Harvard Business School made in 2012 in conjunction with Harvard’s 375th anniversary, and the 50th anniversary of Harvard Business School admitting women. The gift was designated for construction of the Center and to endow a scholarship fund which has been named "The Ruth Mulan Chu and James Si-Cheng Chao Fellowship Fund."

The new building is intended to honor the leadership and social contributions of the Chao family's matriarch, Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, who was particularly active in the areas of education and cross-cultural relations between Asia and America. The large, modern facility will house classrooms for formal teaching, conference rooms to host emerging global leaders, and various informal spaces that will encourage the development of friendships, mentorships, and exchanges between the HBS faculty, US-based students, and the large body of international students who attend the school’s executive programs each year.

The grand opening on June 6 has been a highly anticipated event for the Harvard University community. After the Opening Ceremony, there will be a special Harvard luncheon with Harvard leadership, foreign dignitaries and friends of the family and the University coming from all over the world to celebrate and honor the spirit of Mrs. Ruth Mulan Chu Chao. Angela Chao will speak and is expected to reflect on her mother’s influence on the Chao daughters, particularly in the areas of values she passed down and the value of education. Dr. Chao and his late wife, Mrs. Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, served as role models to the Asian-American community as successful business leaders, philanthropists and advocates for expanding and nurturing partnerships between America and Asia, particularly with China, their home country. Angela has spoken often about the impact of the her mother’s encouragement to her daughters to embrace both cultures, and will enjoy the opportunity to celebrate this on an occasion when family, administration, government officials and other dignitaries come together to open the first building on the Harvard Business School campus to be named after an Asian-American and a woman. 

It is a day of firsts, and the luncheon conversation is certain to be lively and inspiring.

The US-China Policy Foundation (USCPF) will hold its annual Gala Dinner, to be held next week on November 18th, 2015 in Washington, D.C. The Gala will be an opportunity for the Foundation to celebrate 20 years of leadership in its efforts to improve US-China relations, as well as to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to public service and philanthropy in this field. The Foundation will present an award for Outstanding Public Service to The Honorable Elaine L. Chao, US Secretary of Labor from 2001-2009. The Award for Outstanding Achievement in Philanthropy will be presented to Dr. James S.C. Chao, The Honorable Elaine L. Chao, Angela Chao and the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Foundation.

In honoring Angela Chao, the USCPF will recognize the unique contributions that she and the Chao family have made to the strengthening of ties between the US and China, and the important mission they serve as role models to the Asian-American community. The USCPF said that through the leadership of the Chao family, Asian-Americans are inspired to work through cultural differences and challenges, and to find their way to participate in all sectors of society, especially as philanthropists.

Among the many achievements of Angela Chao, the USCPF award will acknowledge her stewardship of the Chao family foundations, as well as the countless hours she gives to many Boards of Directors and advisory committees. In this way, she gives life to the legacy of her parents, who devoted their lives to community service, particularly in the area of education. Chao family foundations have funded scholarships and facility constructions, endowed chairs, and other activities that enhance access to high quality education. The Honorable Elaine L. Chao will accept the Outstanding Achievement in Philanthropy Award on behalf of her family and the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Foundation, where she serves as Chair.

On July 30, 2015, the International Leadership Foundation (ILF) will hold its annual Gala Reception and Awards Dinner, where it will bestow the Inspirational Leader Award upon Angela Chao for her industrious efforts and achievements in the corporate and non-profit communities. The award will be accepted by Angela’s sister, Elaine Chao; U.S. Secretary of Labor (2001-2009) in the Bush White House.

The ILF was founded in 2008. Through a network of advisory boards in 15 cities across the country, the Foundation is able to accomplish its mission of nurturing and creating the future generation of Asian Pacific American leaders, who will make their mark in the fields of public service, international affairs and entrepreneurship.

Annually, at the ILF awards dinner, the Foundation recognizes the special accomplishments of individuals and organizations who not only make an impression in their area of expertise but also contribute to the expansion of opportunities for Asian Pacific Americans.

Among her accomplishments, Angela Chao is being recognized for her leadership at the helm of the Chao Family Foundation, where she continues to give life to the legacy of her parents, James S.C. Chao and Ruth Mulan Chu Chao. ILF noted especially the outstanding efforts of Mrs. Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, whose courageous labors to bring economic and social opportunity through education to the Asian Pacific American community empowered them and gave them hope that they had a role to play in the unfolding American story. ILF mentioned also the Chao Family Foundation’s generous donations to many charitable projects. It is especially recognized for its support of facilities construction, endowed chairs and scholarships at institutions such as Harvard Business School, which are creating immeasurable opportunities for the next generation of leaders.

Former honorees at the ILF annual Gala include the Honorable Norman Mineta, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Senator Mazie Hirono, Member of Congress, Ambassador Sichan Siv, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN, and Todd Park, U.S. Chief Technology Officer.

Angela Chao, Deputy Chair of Foremost Group, will be speaking at the Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) Shipping 2015 Conference, to be held on March 23-25 at the Hilton Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut. In spite of its name, the CMA Conference is actually the largest international gathering of shipping industry leaders in the world. And, the CMA is the largest international maritime association in the United States, which has been producing a conference and trade exhibition for 30 years.
Shipping 2015 will run over three days and is expected to include more than 2,500 attendees, with 14 panel discussions that follow the conference’s overarching theme; “Tradition: Celebrating the best, improving the rest”. 

On March 25th Angela Chao will participate in an afternoon panel discussion on the topic of “Generational Shift” . Joining her on the panel will be: Vassals Kertsikoff, Chairman and CEO of Eletson Gas LLC, Phrixos B. Papachristidis, CEO and Managing Director of Hellespont Ship Management GMBH & Co. KG, Fritz Heidenreich, President and CEO of Q88 LLC, and Nikolas P. Tsakos, President and CEO of Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd. and Chairman of INTERTANKO. The panel discussion will be moderated by Dagfinn Lunde, Chairman of Executive Ship Management.