BERKELEY, CA, September 15, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to name James Min-Tzu Chao a Lifetime Achiever. An accomplished listee, Mr. Chao celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
An architect who recently celebrated 52 years in his field last year, Mr. Chao started out as a draftsman for a company in San Francisco in 1966, and continued to work his way up in several roles, from project manager and construction manager to principal architect, president, and CEO. Since 1981, he has been a member of senior management and as the director of real estate and construction for The Straw Hat Restaurant Corporation, while also serving briefly as a member of their marketing committee. Forming his own private practice in 1987 and simultaneously serving as the director of real estate for Papillon Development Inc. since 1998, Mr. Chao has been a very diligent worker who has never slowed down.
Looking back on his widely successful career, Mr. Chao was more focused on how to be of service to society rather than personal financial gain, and was able to concentrate on perfecting his skills. As a result, he not only found success, but he was also able to take risks and think outside the box. His many inventions, one of which is the now-commonplace wheels on luggage, is a perfect example of his risky yet rewarding business philosophy. He also turned to his father for inspiration, who taught him the importance of self-sufficiency at a young age. As a 14 year old, Mr. Chao invented a method to generate electricity using ocean tides, for which he received a national science award.
A certified real estate instructor, Mr. Chao conducts lectures on commercial real estate site analysis and selection for professional real estate seminars. In 1996, he authored "The Street-Smart Restaurant Development Handbook." A life member and gold sponsor for the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association as well as a former board director for the Encinal Yacht Club, Mr. Chao also serves as a member of the board for the Berkeley City Ballet and as a patron charter member for the Asian Art Museum. Working with the Ballet, however, has been most rewarding because he was able to impart to the non-profit organization how to raise and make money to become self-sufficient and productive, rather than having to ask for donations. As a certified architect with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, Mr. Chao is a registered architect in the state of California and was previously a certified architect in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, and Nevada. Mr. Chao also holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley.
Dedicated to his wife since 1968, Kirsti Helena Lehtonen, whom he has been caring for throughout her illness, Mr. Chao goes above and beyond to keep her feeling mentally positive by taking her on trips to places like Hawaii. Keeping her mentally positive is a priority for him. All the while, Mr. Chao has been battling cancer, which he has managed to reduce from state 4 to stage 3. Looking to the future, Mr. Chao would like to contribute to society by focusing on the aging population in America. To date, he has been included in dozens of editions of Who's Who, including Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, and Who's Who in Science and Engineering.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to his profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, James Min-Tzu Chao has been featured on the Marquis Who's Who Lifetime Achievers website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honor.
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America , Marquis Who's Who has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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