2013 Dynamic Achiever Awards Gala & 33rd Anniversary
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Introductory Remarks by Dr. Grace L. Chao, Ph.D. 2013 Dynamic Achiever Awards Gala & 33rd Anniversary Celebration OCA Westchester & Hudson Valley Chapter Tarrytown, NY October 31, 2013
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2013 Dynamic Achiever Awards Gala & 33rd Anniversary
- 1. Introductory Remarks by Dr. Grace L. Chao, Ph.D. 2013 Dynamic Achiever Awards Gala & 33rd Anniversary Celebration OCA Westchester & Hudson Valley Chapter Tarrytown, NY October 31, 2013 Good evening. My name is Grace Chao, and I am so happy to be here with you to introduce my younger sister, Angela - the recipient of your Dynamic Achiever Award. You have chosen a very worthy and deserving recipient in Angela. As the Deputy Chairman of Foremost Group, one of the largest, privately owned international shipping companies in the United States with a fleet of modern, state of the art environmentally friendly ships which was founded by our parents Dr. James S.C. Chao and Mrs. Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, she also currently serves on the boards of Harvard Business School, NY's Museum of Modern Art PS1, the Chairman's Council of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center's China Global Advisory Board, one of the world's largest marine insurers the UK P&I Club, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the American Bureau of Shipping Council, among others. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Young Leaders Forum of the National Committee on US-China Relations. She previously served on the Boards of China State Shipbuilding Corporation and the largest international shipping organization in the world, the Baltic International Maritime Council. She also serves on Foremost's foundation as well as our family foundation named after our mother, the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Foundation. As accomplished as she is, Angela remains a loving daughter and sister and wife and aunt, and just a wonderful person! Without further ado, I introduce to you Foremost Group's Deputy Chairman, and my sister, Angela Chao! # # #
- 2. Remarks by Ms. Angela A. Chao Deputy Chairman, Foremost Group 2013 Dynamic Achiever Awards Gala & 33rd Anniversary Celebration OCA Westchester & Hudson Valley Chapter Tarrytown, NY October 31, 2013 Thank you, Grace, for that heartwarming introduction - we really are best friends! I also want to thank my father, Dr. James S.C. Chao, who is here with me tonight, as well as my sister Elaine, and Grace's husband Gordon - my family is my greatest source of strength, and to have so many of them with me tonight makes this evening so special for all of us. Thank you. I am honored and humbled by the Dynamic Achiever Award you have bestowed upon me tonight. I remember as a young girl coming to OCA events - at the time you recognized in my oldest sister Elaine her commitment to and excellence in public service - and you were right to do so! You caught a rising star! But there are also many unsung heroes that make valuable contributions to our worlds, our communities, our families, even ourselves. My unsung hero is my mother, Mrs. Ruth Mulan Chu Chao. She passed on August 2, 2007, but she remains with me everyday. As a young girl, she taught me to be strong, know who I am, be self-reliant and think for myself. If I complained about kids making fun of me for being Chinese or overheard sexist jokes or comments about being a girl or from a family of six daughters (and unfortunately a lot of the sexist jokes or comments came from adults!), my mother told me not to get mad - but to prove them wrong. She didn't allow wallowing or self indulgent behavior. She expected a great deal of me, but I knew it was because she thought i could do it - and that gave me the confidence and strength to try. We as Chinese Americans, and Asian Americans more broadly, have an enormous well of strength in our families, our cultural histories and our philosophical teachings. And we are in America - the land of opportunity and where we have a chance to make our dreams come true like no other place in the world. We are not victims. Everyone in this room today is privileged and part of this organization because we want to give back. And we have so much to give back - each and every life in this room is rich with experiences, lessons learned, triumphs, and yes,
- 3. failures, too - there is no shame in failure - we learn a lot from failures, and it's often a much better teacher than success. So thank you to OCA for honoring me here tonight. Thank you also for allowing me to share this award in front of my father, who never had the privilege to share his achievements with his parents as they did not live to see them. I am humbled to receive this wonderful award, and also am so excited to see and hear about the wonderful things each of you are doing in your lives for your families, for our communities and for our world. Thank you again! # # #