Who Is Elaine Chao? Age, Husband, Net Worth, Parents, Siblings, Biography, Career, and more
Elaine Chao is a prominent American businesswoman and former government official who has served in two presidential cabinets and held various leadership positions in the public and private sectors. She is also the wife of Mitch McConnell, the U.S. Senate Minority Leader and one of the most influential politicians in the country.
Elaine Chao Wiki/Bio
| Name | Elaine Chao |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Elaine Lan Chao |
| Chinese name | 趙小蘭 (Zhào Xiǎolán) |
| Birth date | March 26, 1953 |
| Birthplace | Taipei, Taiwan |
| Citizenship | Taiwan (1953–1971), United States (1972–present) |
| Ethnicity | Chinese |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Spouse | Mitch McConnell (m. 1993) |
| Parents | James S.C. Chao and Ruth Mulan Chu Chao |
| Siblings | Angela Chao, Grace Chao, May Chao, Jeanette Chao, Christine Chao |
| Education | Mount Holyoke College (BA), Harvard University (MBA) |
| Occupation | Businesswoman, politician |
| Political party | Republican |
| Positions held | United States Secretary of Transportation (2017–2021), United States Secretary of Labor (2001–2009), Director of the Peace Corps (1991–1992), Deputy Secretary of Transportation (1989–1991), Chair of the Federal Maritime Commission (1988–1989) |
| Awards and honors | Woodrow Wilson Award, Ellis Island Medal of Honor, Order of the Brilliant Star, Forbes Most Powerful Women, Fortune Most Powerful Women, Time 100 |
| Links | Wikipedia- @Elaine_Chao Facebook- @SecElaineChao Homepage- Newsunzip |
Parents, Siblings, Education, Birthday
Elaine Lan Chao was born on March 26, 1953 (age: 70 years, as of 2023), in Taipei, Taiwan, to James S.C. Chao and Ruth Mulan Chu Chao. Her parents were both from Shanghai, China, and had fled to Taiwan after the Communist takeover of mainland China in 1949. Her father was a successful merchant marine who founded the Foremost Group, an American shipping company based in New York. Her mother was a historian and educator who taught Asian studies at St. John’s University.
Elaine Chao was the oldest of six daughters Angela Chao, Grace Chao, May Chao, Jeanette Chao, Christine Chao. When she was eight years old, she immigrated to the United States with her mother and sisters, joining her father who had moved there three years earlier. They traveled on a freighter that took 30 days to sail from Hong Kong to Los Angeles.
They settled in a one-bedroom apartment in Queens, New York, where Elaine faced many challenges as a new immigrant. She did not speak any English and had to adjust to a different culture and education system. She recalled being laughed at by her classmates when she bowed to her teacher on her first day of school, following the traditional Chinese etiquette.
However, Elaine Chao soon overcame these difficulties and excelled in her studies. She learned English quickly and became the president of her class within two years. She also helped her younger sisters with their homework and chores. Her father’s business prospered and the family moved to a wealthy suburb in Westchester County, where she attended Syosset High School. She graduated in 1971 as the class valedictorian and the editor of the school newspaper.
Elaine Chao continued her education at Mount Holyoke College, an elite women’s college in Massachusetts, where she majored in economics. She was active in various campus activities, such as the student government, the debate team, and the newspaper. She graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude. She then pursued a Master of Business Administration degree at Harvard Business School, where she was one of the few women and minorities in her class. She worked part-time for Gulf Oil Corporation while studying at Harvard and graduated in 1979.
Angela Chao, shipping CEO and sister of Elaine Chao, dies in a car accident
Angela Chao, the chief executive officer and chair of the Foremost Group, a leading dry bulk shipping company, and the sister of former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, passed away on February 10, 2024, due to a fatal car accident in Austin, Texas. She was 50 years old.
According to the police report, Angela Chao was driving to a business meeting when her car was hit by a speeding truck that ran a red light at an intersection. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver was arrested and charged with vehicular manslaughter.
Angela Chao was a prominent and respected figure in the maritime industry, as well as a philanthropist and a leader in the Asian American community. She joined the Foremost Group, the family-owned shipping company founded by her father James S.C. Chao, in 1996 and became its CEO in 2018. She was also a board member of several organizations, such as the American Bureau of Shipping, the Harvard Business School Board of Dean’s Advisors, and the Metropolitan Opera. She was a founding advisory council co-chair of The Asian American Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports and empowers Asian American and Pacific Islander causes.
Angela was born in 1973 in Taipei, Taiwan, and immigrated to the U.S. with her mother and sisters when she was eight years old. She graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Business School, where she wrote a case study on the shipping industry that is still used as a curriculum for business students. She was married to Jim Breyer, a venture capitalist and the founder of Breyer Capital. She had two children, a son and a daughter.
Angela Chao’s family and friends expressed their grief and sorrow over her sudden and tragic death. Her father, James S.C. Chao, said in a statement that she was “a wonderful and inquisitive companion” and “a charismatic and visionary leader”. Her sister, Elaine Chao, said in a tweet that she was “devastated” by the loss of her “beloved sister” and “best friend”. Her husband, Jim Breyer, said in a Facebook post that she was “the love of my life” and “an amazing mother, wife, sister, and daughter”.
Her funeral will be held on February 17, 2024, at the Riverside Church in New York City. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Asian American Foundation or the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Foundation, the family foundation named after Angela Chao’s late mother.
Career in the Financial Sector and the Government
After graduating from Harvard, Elaine Chao started her career in the financial sector, working as a lending officer in the international banking division of Citicorp, focusing on the shipping industry. She also taught as an adjunct professor at St. John’s University. In 1983, she was selected as a White House Fellow, a prestigious program that offers young professionals the opportunity to work in the executive branch of the U.S. government. She served as a special assistant to the director of the Office of Policy Development, working on transportation issues in the administration of President Ronald Reagan.
In 1986, Elaine Chao left Citicorp and joined Bank of America as a vice president of the capital markets group. She also became a board member of the United Way of America, a nonprofit organization that supports various charitable causes. In 1988, she was appointed by President Reagan as the chair of the Federal Maritime Commission, an independent agency that regulates the U.S. maritime industry. She was the first Asian American woman to head a federal regulatory agency. She held this position until 1989, when she was nominated by President George H.W. Bush as the deputy secretary of transportation, the second-highest-ranking official in the Department of Transportation.
She was confirmed by the Senate unanimously and became the first Asian American woman to serve in a cabinet-level position. She oversaw the daily operations of the department, which had a budget of $30 billion and 105,000 employees. She also played a key role in the development and implementation of several major policies and initiatives, such as the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, the Clean Air Act Amendments, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Aviation Security Improvement Act.
In 1991, Elaine Chao resigned from the Department of Transportation and became the director of the Peace Corps, a volunteer program that sends Americans to serve in developing countries. She was the first Asian American to lead the Peace Corps and the first director to be a former Peace Corps volunteer herself (she had served in the Philippines in 1970). She reformed and expanded the Peace Corps, increasing its budget, staff, and volunteers, and opening new programs in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Africa. She also improved the safety and security of the volunteers and strengthened the partnership with the host countries.
In 1992, Elaine left the Peace Corps and became the president and chief executive officer of the United Way of America, the largest charitable organization in the U.S. She was the first woman and the first Asian American to hold this position. She inherited a troubled organization that had been plagued by scandals and financial mismanagement. She implemented a series of reforms and innovations to restore the public trust and confidence in the United Way. She improved the accountability, transparency, and efficiency of the organization, and increased its fundraising, outreach, and impact. She also launched new initiatives to address emerging social issues, such as homelessness, domestic violence, and illiteracy.
In 1996, she stepped down from the United Way and joined the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C. She became a distinguished fellow and the director of the Asian Studies Center, where she conducted research and analysis on economic, political, and security issues in the Asia-Pacific region. She also served on several corporate and nonprofit boards, such as Dole Food Company, Protective Life Corporation, Wells Fargo, the Harvard Business School Board of Dean’s Advisors, and the Harvard University Board of Overseers.
Net Worth
| Year | Net Worth |
|---|---|
| 2023 | $30 million |
| 2022 | $35 million |
| 2021 | $34 million |
Secretary of Labor
In 2001, Elaine Chao was nominated by President George W. Bush as the secretary of labor, the head of the Department of Labor, which is responsible for enforcing labor laws, protecting workers’ rights and benefits, and promoting workforce development and training. She was confirmed by the Senate unanimously and became the first Asian American woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. She was also the only cabinet member to serve for the entire eight years of the Bush administration.
As the secretary of labor, Elaine Chao faced many challenges and opportunities, such as the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the economic recession, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the globalization and technological changes, and the aging and diversifying of the workforce. She led the department with a vision of “empowering the 21st century workforce” and implemented a number of policies and programs to achieve this goal. Some of her major accomplishments include:
- Creating the Office of Disability Employment Policy, the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, and the Office of the 21st Century Workforce, to address the needs and interests of various segments of the workforce.
- Launching the President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative, the Community-Based Job Training Grants, and the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development, to provide workers with the skills and education needed for the high-demand and emerging industries.
- Establishing the New Freedom Initiative, the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, and the Transition Assistance Program, to assist workers with disabilities and veterans with their employment and transition needs.
- Reforming the unemployment insurance system, the pension system, and the mine safety and health system, to improve the security and protection of workers and employers.
- Enhancing the enforcement of labor laws, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, to ensure the compliance and accountability of employers and the rights and benefits of workers.
- Promoting the competitiveness and productivity of the U.S. workforce, through initiatives such as the National Summit on the 21st Century Workforce, the National Skills Summit, and the Competitiveness Agenda.
- Strengthening the cooperation and partnership with the state and local governments, the private sector, the labor unions, academic institutions, and international organizations, to address the common challenges and opportunities in the labor market.
Elaine Chao received many awards and recognitions for her leadership and service as the secretary of labor, such as the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service, the Wilbur J. Cohen Award for Distinguished Service in the Field of Social Welfare, the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service, and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, from the Emperor of Japan.
Height, Weight
- Height: 5 feet and 2 inches or 160 cm
- Weight: 119 lbs or 54 kg
- Eye color: Black
Husband, Kids, Controversies
Elaine Chao married Mitch McConnell, a Republican senator from Kentucky and the current Senate minority leader, in 1993. They met at a reception hosted by the Heritage Foundation in 1990 and have no children together. McConnell has three children from his previous marriage. She is known to be a supportive and influential spouse, who often campaigns and fundraises for her husband. She is also a devout Christian and attends the Third Presbyterian Church in Louisville, Kentucky.
Elaine Chao and her husband have faced several controversies and criticisms over their political and personal ties, especially with China. Some critics have accused her of using her position to benefit her family’s shipping business, which has extensive dealings with China. They have also questioned her loyalty and allegiance to the United States, given her Chinese heritage and connections. She and her husband have denied any wrongdoing or conflict of interest, and have defended their record and reputation.
Elaine Chao has also been involved in some ethical and legal issues during her tenure as a cabinet secretary. In 2019, the House Oversight Committee launched an investigation into her possible misuse of her office for personal gain, such as promoting her family’s business, arranging meetings with Chinese officials, and favoring projects in Kentucky. In 2020, the Transportation Department’s inspector general also opened a probe into her alleged abuse of authority and misuse of public funds. She has dismissed these allegations as politically motivated and baseless.
