Coast Guard Foundation New York Salutes the Coast Guard & Tribute Dinner Honoree Dr. James S. C. Chao

Pier 61

New York, NY

We are honored to have three special guests tonight:    Ambassador Francisco Fabián Tropepi, the current Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations and his lovely wife, Josefina; and the Brazilian Ambassador to the United States Maria Luiza Rebeiro Viotti.

The Coast Guard Foundation deserves our gratitude for its steadfast commitment to supporting the men and women of the United States Coast Guard.

This evening is also very special because we are honoring the vision and contributions of Dr. James S.C. Chao, Founder & Chair of Foremost Group.  His life has been dedicated to the sea and to the people who serve on it.   His contributions and achievements reflect his commitment to operational excellence, safety on the seas, environmental stewardship and the early and continuous adaptation of new technologies.

The Coast Guard is one of the five armed services of our nation, and yet it is often described as our “silent service.”  Without fanfare, without always receiving the recognition it deserves, the Coast Guard is there on the front lines—24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The Coast Guard does so much!  It saves lives at sea. It interdicts drug smugglers. It protects our ports, waterways, and coastlines from terrorism. It defends our environment, cleaning up oil spills and preventing pollution. It ensures the safe and efficient flow of commerce, which underpins not only the nation’s prosperity but national security.

Tonight, we honor the courageous crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter William Chadwick who cannot be here because of the government shutdown.  Every day, Coast Guard men and women put themselves in harm’s way to fulfill their motto: Semper Paratus. Always Ready. 

As we honor the Coast Guard men and women, we need to remember their families.   They, too, bear the responsibilities of service. Their quiet sacrifices—missed birthdays, long deployments, constant uncertainty—make possible the readiness of the Coast Guard.

As we talk about the core values of the U. S. Coast Guard, it is fitting that the Coast Guard Foundation is honoring Dr. James S. C. Chao, Founder & Chair of Foremost Group.

Foremost is an American company in New York which was established over 60 years ago.  Dr. Chao was born in a small farming village of 8 families outside of Shanghai in a country marked by civil war, foreign invasion and occupation, economic turmoil and chaos.   His father was a school principal known for his advocacy of universal education for rural children; his mother a farmer.  His parents sacrificed and saved to send him to school.  He obtained scholarships to attain his education.  An outstanding student, student athlete and leader, he showed promise, a lively mind, a creative curiosity even at a very young age.  He was able to test into one of the best universities in China, Shanghai Jiao Tong University.  At the age of 21, he went onboard a cargo ship as an apprentice to finish his graduation requirements.  While at sea, the government changed.  All the ports were blockaded.  Unable to return home, his ship set sail for Taiwan.  He never saw his father again and it was not until 24 years later after President Nixon opened up China, that he was reunited with his mother.

In Taiwan, he searched for 2 years for a beautiful young woman who had captured his heart on the Mainland.  He found her and persuaded her to marry him.  Her name was Ruth, a smart and capable young woman who like the Biblical Ruth exemplified the Bible verse:  whither thou goest, I shall go.  With her love, encouragement and support, Dr. Chao became one of the youngest sea captains of that time, at the age of 29.

But, sealife was difficult, he was away at sea over 8-10 months out of the year.  To improve his career prospects, he decided to take the annual 4-day national examination.  This is a national tradition dating back thousands of years in Chinese culture.  Not only did he place number one but he broke hundreds of years of records as well.  This achievement gave him the opportunity to come to the United States.  But, he only had money and documentation for himself.  He could not bring his family.  Ruth, his wife, was 7 months pregnant.  They already had 2 daughters.  Not knowing how long it would take for them to be reunited, James and Ruth placed their faith in God, in each other and their belief in America.  He went first, leaving his young family behind.

His initial years in America were very tough.  He worked multiple jobs to make ends meet; he slept on the floor of the cheap dwelling he was able to find.

The University he was supposed to enroll denied him access because he couldn’t produce his transcripts which were locked in China behind the bamboo curtain.   But, he persevered.  It took him 3 years before he was able to bring his young family to America.

Unlike many other Asian Americans, he got an MBA and began building a business.

Today, Foremost is one of the premier dry bulk companies in the world, with an excellent reputation for integrity, reliability and performance.

The fleet is among the world’s largest and most eco-friendly ships, built in first class shipyards and chartered to first class charterers  who use the vessels to transport dry bulk products to markets around the world.  The motto of the company is:  Honor.  Integrity.  Performance.  As Dr. Chao says:  “Foremost does not necessarily aspire to be the biggest, but we do strive to be the best.”

For almost 60 years, there has been faithful devotion to its mission statement: “Our mission is to remain a premier provider of ocean transportation services and a model of excellence for our industry.”

He also believed that seamanship is not simply a profession, but a responsibility.   He insisted that rigorous training, discipline, and safety standards were paramount.

Long before it became popular, he was a strong advocate of environmental stewardship.   The Company is an industry leader in adopting fuel-efficient designs and non-fossil fuel technologies in its fleet of modern, eco-friendly ships.  He believed that the seas are both a gift and a trust.

In this, his values mirrored those of the Coast Guard, which has always served not only as a protector of people but also as a guardian of the environment.

Dr. Chao believed that seamanship—demanded both skill and integrity—and this is exactly what the U. S. Coast Guard reinforces.

The challenges for the Coast Guard are ever present:   the changing nature of maritime threats; the environmental changes worldwide; and the impact of Artificial Intelligence to list a few.

So tonight, as we honor the men and women of the United States Coast Guard and Dr. James S. C. Chao, there is no better alignment of core values between these two honorees.  Dr. Chao’s life is dedicated to service and contribution to Society.  The Coast Guardsmen and women’s lives are dedicated to carrying out their mission forward in ever-changing circumstances.

To the Coast Guard Foundation: thank you for supporting this noble service. To the families of Coast Guard personnel: thank you for your sacrifices. And to the men and women of the Coast Guard: thank you for your courage, your professionalism, and your devotion to our country.

Semper Paratus.  Thank you.