Skip to main content

Chao Family Receives the Partnership's 2023 McNair Civic Leadership Award

Published Feb 02, 2023 by A.J. Mistretta

chao.jpg

The Chao family

HOUSTON (February 2, 2023) –The Greater Houston Partnership presented the 2023 Robert C. McNair Civic Leadership Award to philanthropic leaders the Chao family at the organization’s Annual Meeting on Thursday. 

This is the first time that the award was presented not to an individual but to a family whose members exemplify the great power that lies in civic and philanthropic leadership—and have built a legacy that transcends borders. 

Ting Tsung Chao, known to many as "T.T.," had a revered 60-year career in which he founded numerous successful petrochemical and materials companies across the globe—including Houston-based Westlake – formerly known as Westlake Chemical Corporation. 

Born to humble beginnings in Suzhou, China, T.T. found his entrepreneurial penchant after he moved his family to Taiwan in the 1940s. Less than a decade later, T.T. co-founded the country’s first PVC business and would go on to form the China General Plastics Corporation Group, which at the time was among the top 10 companies in Taiwan and number two in the petrochemical industry.

While growing his business – T.T. and his wife, Wei Fong, had three children – Dorothy, James, and Albert– all of whom play a significant part in this family’s inspiring story and are paving paths of their own. 

In the mid-80s, T.T.’s business acumen pointed him towards Houston. T.T. and his sons, Albert and James, founded Westlake Chemical Corporation, which started with a modest plant in neighboring Louisiana. 

Today, listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Westlake operates 100 sites globally with approximately 16,000 employees, maintains a position on the Fortune 500 list and is approaching its fortieth anniversary. 

“Known for both volunteerism and generous gifts that have changed the face of our city, the Chao’s show us that generational impact is a rewarding result of long-term community commitment,” said Partnership 2020 Chair Bobby Tudor in presenting the award to the Chao family. 

Today, T.T.’s children are carrying on his legacy in notable fashion through continued business leadership with Westlake Corporation and philanthropy through the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation, with a particular emphasis on supporting organizations working to expand health care and education. 

Notable gifts from the Foundation include the establishment of the Chao Center for Asian Studies at Rice University, in honor of their parents, T.T. and Wei Fong Chao, to highlight the importance of Asian studies at American universities. 

James, the eldest son, is Chairman of Westlake’s Board of Directors. Dorothy serves as a Director of Westlake’s Board, a position she’s held for twenty years. And Albert serves as Westlake’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Under his and James’ leadership, Westlake continues to grow and innovate, constantly evolving to adapt to an ever-changing business climate. 

Albert, and with his wife Anne, are steadfast supporters of many of Houston’s cultural and civic organizations. 

“As first-generation immigrants to receive this esteemed award, we see this as a reflection of Houston’s rich multicultural society. And it provides encouragement to other business and civic leaders to do their part to contribute to the benefit and welfare of the greater community of Houston,” said Albert Chao in accepting the award. “Over the last 30 years, it has been our pleasure and honor to serve on the boards of various Houston organizations, which have been our partners in how we have tried to give back to the city we have made our home.” 

Established in 2020, the McNair Award is presented by the Greater Houston Partnership annually business leaders who have made an outsized impact on our community — through civic and philanthropic leadership – honoring the lifelong legacy imparted by the award’s namesake, Bob McNair. 

###        

Greater Houston Partnership 
The Greater Houston Partnership works to make Houston one of the best places to live, work and build a business. As the economic development organization for the region, the Partnership champions growth across 12 counties by bringing together business and civic-minded leaders who are dedicated to the area’s long-term success. Representing more than 950 member organizations and approximately one-fifth of the region’s workforce, the Partnership is the place companies come together to make an impact. Learn more at Houston.org.

CONTACT:

Brina Morales                                                
Senior Manager, Media Relations    
bmorales@houston.org          
(c) 832-287-5089            

A.J. Mistretta
Vice President, Communications
amistretta@houston.org
(c) 504-450-3516        
 

Related News

Membership

Partnership Welcomes New 2025 Board Members

2/3/25
Members of the Greater Houston Partnership voted to elect new members of the organization’s board of directors at its Annual Meeting held on January 31. The Partnership's 147-member board guides the work of the organization and is comprised of leaders from across greater Houston's business community. The event also marked the first official meeting of the Partnership's 2025 Gretchen Watkins, President of Shell USA. At the meeting, Watkins announced the nomination of Armando Perez, Executive Vice President for H-E-B Houston, as Vice Chair for 2025 and 2026 Chair. This nomination was also approved by the membership.  Outgoing chair Eric Mullins, President and CEO of Live Rock Resources, received the Bob Onstead award for his service in 2025. In addition to the election of new board members, several former members were approved for an additional term of service on the board. Walt Mischer, Partner at Mischer Investments, LP, and Ruth Simmons, Ph.D., President’s Distinguished Fellow at Rice University, were elected as emeritus directors by vote of the membership at the meeting. For a recap of the Annual Meeting, click here. 2025 New Board Members Dilip Choudhuri, President and CEO, Walter P Moore Larry Coben, Chair, President and Chief Executive Office, NRG Energy Ryan Dolibois, Executive Director, Sarofilm Foundation Jean-Marc Gilson, President and CEO, Westlake Corporation  Giles Kibbe, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Houston Astros Michael Lawson, Houston Market President, CommonSpirit South Region John Mooz, Sr. Managing Director for Austin, Houston and San Antonio, Hines Jessica O’Neil, President of Business Operations, Houston Dash & Houston Dynamo FC A full list of members of the Partnership Board of Directors can be found here. 
Read More
Economic Development

Greater Houston Partnership Unveils New Five-Year Strategic Framework

1/31/25
HOUSTON (January 31, 2025) – The Greater Houston Partnership announced the launch of its new five-year strategic framework, Houston Next: Advancing Opportunity, during its Annual Meeting. This comprehensive plan builds upon the organization’s work to position Houston as a world-class hub for economic growth, innovation, and quality of life. "Our region is on a remarkable trajectory, and rapid economic and workforce changes demand bold action to ensure Houston leads in talent, innovation, and resilience,” said Partnership President and CEO Steve Kean. “By fostering collaboration and creating opportunities for all, we are paving the way for a brighter future. Our new strategic plan will drive growth, create opportunity, and strengthen our community." Over the past six years, the Partnership has made significant progress through its core economic development and public policy work, along with key initiatives such as UpSkill Houston, Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI) and One Houston Together. These efforts have laid a strong foundation for the new strategic framework, which focuses on three core pillars: Prosperity, People, and Place, with a particular focus on two strategic imperatives: Talent & Economic Mobility and Resilience. Three Core Pillars Prosperity: This pillar focuses on advancing a strong, diverse economy through proactive economic development that attracts global investment and drives growth across key industries including energy, life sciences, aerospace, advanced manufacturing and digital technology.  People: The focus here is on creating inclusive opportunity and driving economic growth for Houstonians through integrated education and workforce training for high-demand careers.  Place: This pillar aims to build a resilient and vibrant region that supports quality of life and economic growth.  New Strategic Imperatives Talent & Economic Mobility: This imperative focuses on creating a strong, skilled workforce that meets the demands of the future, and creates economic opportunity for more Houstonians. The Partnership will work with employers, education providers, and community organizations to align talent supply with demand, foster inclusivity, and expand apprenticeship programs. Resilience: The goal is to make greater Houston the most resilient coastal city in the world. This involves enhancing critical systems' resilience by convening leading stakeholders who own, operate, and use these systems; advocating for policy solutions that improve infrastructure; and telling Houston's resilience story to attract investment and talent.  "In Houston and at the Partnership, we face the future with optimism and the spirit that together, we can do anything,” Kean said. “Collaboration is Houston’s superpower. And the Partnership’s superpower is our ability to convene, connect, and develop plans with the people, the organizations, and the institutions to get things done." The Partnership is launching a $35 million fundraising campaign to help fund the Houston Next strategic plan.  Lead investors include CenterPoint Energy and Quanta Services, along with Camden Property Trust, Chevron, H-E-B, Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann Health System, Mustang Cat, Shell, and Steve Kean. The strategic framework was unveiled during the Partnership’s Annual Meeting. The event also introduced Gretchen Watkins, President of Shell USA, as the Partnership’s 2025 Board Chair. Additionally, the prestigious 2025 Robert C. McNair Award for Civic Leadership was presented to the Love family, recognizing their profound contributions to the greater Houston community. Learn more about Houston Next. Read our 2024 Annual Report. Click to expand ### MEDIA CONTACT:     Brina Morales                 Sr. Director, Communications        bmorales@houston.org            
Read More

Related Events

Membership

30th Annual Golf Classic

The Greater Houston Partnership is excited to announce the 30th Annual Golf Classic, a milestone celebration of one of our most cherished events. Reserve your spot to join us at Memorial Park…

Learn More
Learn More
Executive Partners