JOHNSON CITY, TX – The sudden death of Angela Chao, the CEO of the New York-based Foremost Group, is currently under investigation as a potential crime, according to authorities. Chao, who was also the sister of former U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and sister-in-law to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, died following a car accident in Texas.
At the age of 50, Chao was discovered deceased in her submerged car in a pond located on a ranch near Austin on February 11th. The ranch is reportedly owned by a corporation linked to Chao’s spouse, Jim Breyer.
The Blanco County Sheriff’s Office released a statement indicating that despite the efforts of emergency medical services personnel, Chao could not be saved due to the time she spent submerged underwater. According to a letter from the Sheriff’s Office to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the circumstances surrounding the crash are unusual.
Chao, who was the chair and CEO of Foremost Group, a dry bulk shipping company founded by her parents in 1964, had a distinguished career. She climbed the corporate ladder to lead the company in 2018, after serving as vice president and later senior vice president, focusing on ship operations and management.
Chao was a Harvard College alumna, where she graduated magna cum laude in economics in just three years. She also attended Harvard Business School, where she authored a case study on “Ocean Carriers,” which is now a mandatory part of the curriculum for first-year students.
In addition to her role at Foremost Group, Chao served as Chair of the U.S. Risk and Management Committee of Bank of China U.S.A in 2016. She held several prestigious positions, including a board membership on the American Bureau of Shipping Council and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s International Maritime Business Department Advisory Board.
Foremost Group expressed their loss in a statement, stating that Chao’s pioneering leadership, particularly for women in shipping, philanthropy, and the arts, will be greatly missed.