Elaine Chao Net Worth, Family Business and Father Net Worth

Former United States Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao’s Net Worth is estimated to be $35 million. Elaine functioned as United States Secretary of Labor from 2001 to 2009 and as United States Secretary of Transportation from 2017 to 2021. She was the foremost Asian-Pacific American female in a presidential wardrobe. Chao entered Taiwan at 8 and has grades from Mount Holyoke College and Harvard Business School.

She operated for monetary organizations before having senior roles in the Department of Transportation under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. She also served as director of the Peace Corps and president of the United Way of America. She has been on various corporate committees, including Hyliion and ChargePoint. You must read Charlie Munger’s Net Worth.

What is Elaine Chao’s Net Worth?

American businesswoman and Politician Elaine Chao’s Net Worth is $35 Million as of 2025. Elaine Chao’s father, James S. C. Chao, is a triumphant Chinese-American shipping tycoon who launched the Foremost Group. The group runs 33 ships and was worth $1.2 billion before the deficit. The Chao family has an evaluated stake of $600 million in Foremost after accounting for the deficit with acquisitions from China’s Export-Import Bank and Taiwan’s First Commercial Bank.

Elaine has a smaller sister, anointed Angela, who is the CEO. Before 2007, Elaine and Mitch had a net worth of $3 million. After obtaining a legacy in 2007, their net worth rose to $12.7 million. Now, their declared net worth is $35 million.

Elaine Chao’s Net Worth Growth

Elaine Chao: Career and Awards

Elaine had a triumphant early career, operating as Vice President for Syndications at Bank of America and an International Banker at Citicorp. She also acted in diverse government posts, including Deputy Secretary of Transportation, Deputy Administrator of the Maritime Administration, and Chairwoman of the Federal Maritime Commission. Elaine was also the Director of the Peace Corps and raised its agendas in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

An investigation was established in September 2019 to determine if Chao used her position to aid her household’s business stakes. The Inspector General found ethics offenses, but no criminal inquiries were opened. In May 2020, the acting Inspector General analyzing preferential treatment to Kentucky projects was dismissed by the Trump administration. Chao entered Kroger’s board of directors in August 2021 and holds multiple honorary doctorates. You can also check Kelly Macdonald’s Net Worth.

Elaine Chao Family Business and Her Father’s Net Worth

Elaine Chao belongs to the famous and wealthy Chao Family, whose net worth is around 14 billion dollars. Elaine’s father, James Chao, is a Chinese American entrepreneur whose net worth is around $500 million. Apart from being Elaine’s father, James Chao is also the father-in-law of United States Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

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