JOHNSON CITY, TX – Angela Chao, the prominent CEO of Foremost Group, a New York-based shipping company, has tragically passed away following a car accident in Texas. The incident is currently being probed as a potential criminal act, according to recent reports. Chao, 50, was not just a respected businesswoman but also the sister of former U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and sister-in-law to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
On February 11th, Chao was found lifeless in her car, which was sinking in a pond on a ranch near Austin. The ranch is associated with a corporation linked to Chao’s husband, Jim Breyer. Despite the best efforts of emergency medical services personnel, Chao could not be revived due to the time spent underwater, as per a statement from the Blanco County Sheriff’s Office.
The Foremost Group, a dry bulk shipping company established by her parents in 1964, was where Chao carved out her impressive career. She ascended to her role as CEO in 2018, after holding positions as vice president and senior vice president, with a focus on ship operations and management.
Chao’s academic credentials were equally impressive. She graduated magna cum laude in economics from Harvard College in only three years and attended Harvard Business School. There, she penned a case study on “Ocean Carriers,” which has since become a required part of the first-year curriculum.
Chao’s influence extended beyond the Foremost Group. In 2016, she was appointed Chair of the U.S. Risk and Management Committee of Bank of China U.S.A. She also held board memberships on the American Bureau of Shipping Council and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s International Maritime Business Department Advisory Board.
Foremost Group has expressed their profound loss in a statement, highlighting Chao’s pioneering leadership, particularly for women in the shipping industry, as well as her contributions to philanthropy and the arts.