Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao understands labor problems

Hispanic Times Magazine, Spring, 2003 by Robert Kendall

Elaine Chao has proven her leadership skills in tackling various challenging career responsibilities in her own incredible career. Now she runs a large department dealing with job opportunities within the expansive framework of the U.S. economy.

In 1992 Chao was selected to become President of United Way following a tragic scandal. Chao succeeded United Way President William Aramony, who was sentenced to prison after he defrauded the charity of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The first thing Chao did after assuming the post was to cut the United Way President's salary. She cut her salary to $150,000 per year, one half of the $300,000 her predecessor made. This is a rare and meaningful achievement in today's CEO ranks; where American CEO's top the salary scales of all nations.

Chao's credentials are those of a conservative, but one who holds the respect of AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, who acknowledged that the ranks of organized labor were able to get a fair hearing With Secretary Chao. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers indicated they were pleased with her selection as Secretary of Labor. Chao's career began in the Reagan Administration. She was selected a White House fellow and worked on Domestic Policy Control, specializing in trade and transportation.

In 1986 Chao was recruited as Deputy Administrator of the Federal Maritime Administration. Elizabeth Dole, who knew her from her White House days, assigned her to this post. The Maritime Administration at that point was losing $1.6 billion a year. Dole was seeking someone with banking and shipping experience.

After functioning for two years in the Federal Maritime post, Chao was named Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission. A year later she was selected as Transportation Secretary. This represented the highest position to which an Asian-American had been appointed in the Executive Branch of the U.S. government.

Following this successful post, Chao was appointed Director of the Peace Corps. She sent the first volunteers to the Soviet Union, and later to Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia.

After her tenure as President of the United Way, Chao became a member of several corporate and nonprofit directorships, including Dole Food Company, Northwest Airlines Inc., and the National Association of Security Dealers Inc., which is the parent company of Nasdaq.

Elaine Chao is the oldest of three girls. She was born in Taiwan. Her parents fled mainland China in 1948. She was only five years old when her father moved to the United States. Three years later he sent for his family. Chao's father was an industrious man who settled in Jamaica Queens, New York. Imbued with the work ethic, he labored at three different jobs so he could afford to send for his family and make a home for the Chaos in America. Observing such a positive role model as her father, a dedicated family provider and diligent worker, has had a positive effect on Elaine in forging her own successful career asa productive achiever.

From the moment Elaine first saw the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, she concentrated diligently on finding her place in America. When President George W. Bush, shortly after taking office, introduced Chao as his selection for Secretary of Labor, he commented, "Elaine Chao believes in the American dream because she has lived it."

In President Clinton's 1988 "Dialogue on Race" Chao criticized schools and companies that overlooked merit to meet diversity goals. "I think we should pay heed to the overall core value of this country and equal opportunity applies for all and that should be the same standard for everyone," Chao said. Her father represents a definitive example of an immigrant success story as he gladly worked at three jobs to help put Elaine through college. Eventually her father became successful in the shipping business.

Elaine Chao received a degree in Economics from Mount Holyoke College. She then earned a Master's Degree at Harvard College Business School. Chao began her professional career as an investment banker with Bank of America. She then received the earlier mentioned White House fellowship in 1983. Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Dole later paved the way for the industrious Chao to assume that position.

Chao's first year as Transportation Secretary was daunting. First there Was the tragic Pan Am bombing, which was followed by the E:xxon-Valdez oil spill. The tragedies of the San Francisco Earthquake and Hurricane Hugo followed thereafter. She met all of these disasters head-on as challenges, handling each tragic incident with courage and conviction.

The Transportation Secretary's post was then followed by her tenure heading the Peace Corps and the United Way presidency, as she restored the image of the charity by cleaning up the cheating scandal. She now finds herself in the challenging position of Secretary of Labor. Chao brings with her a track record of success, of overcoming obstacles. She looks forward to surmounting the challenges of the future in the same way as she has the problems of the past, with courage and fidelity , exercising lifelong ideals and convictions.