Angela Chao, CEO of Foremost Group and sister-in-law of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Angela Chao, a business executive and sister-in-law of Senate Minority LeaderMitch McConnell, died this week following a car accident, her family announced in a statement. She was 50.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.
Calling his daughter, “academically gifted,” and “hard-working,” Dr. Chao said Angela “possessed strong core values during her entire life.” As a child, he said in the statement, she expressed such an interest in the shipping industry that she accompanied him to the office on “Take Your Daughter to Work” days.
“We were so proud that she graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard College in just three years. While attending Harvard Business School, she used her enthusiasm and knowledge of shipping to write a ground-breaking case study on ‘Ocean Carriers’ that to this day is part of the required curriculum for first year HBS students,” he added.
His daughter, James added, was “a trail blazer for women in the executive suite” who “inspired others to pursue their dreams.”
“Angela’s name in Chinese sounds like the characters for peace and prosperity. She certainly gave more than her share of both to this world," the statement continued. “Her absence leaves a void not only in our hearts, but in the Asian-American community.”
The statement continued: “She will be greatly missed and leaves a legacy of pioneering leadership- especially for women — in shipping, philanthropy and the arts."
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Angela’s elder sister, Elaine, served as the U.S. Secretary of Labor in theGeorge W. Bushadministration and as the Secretary of Transportation inDonald Trump’s cabinet, from 2017 to 2021.
Elaine, 70, is married to McConnell, the Senate minority leader from Kentucky who made headlines in recent months when hesuddenly stopped speakingand stared forward for several seconds during press conferences.
A month later, the Republican froze when a reporter asked him whether he intends to run for reelection in 2026. An aide came to his side to repeat the question before telling reporters he needed a moment.
In a letter dated Sept. 5, Dr. Brian Monaghan, the attending physician of U.S. Congress, wrote that there is “no evidence” that the Senate minority leader was having either a seizure or a stroke during the episodes.
source: people.com
