May 2, 2026
Maine Maritime Academy
Castine, ME
Good morning!
To the Board, Admiral Johnson, faculty and staff, proud families and friends, alumni, honored guests, and most importantly—the graduates here today—how wonderful to be here to celebrate the graduating Class of 2026!
Congratulations, graduates!
Commencement is always meaningful, but at a maritime academy, it carries a deeper significance. Today is not simply the end of your academic journey. It is a turning point—when preparation becomes responsibility, when training becomes service, and when education becomes leadership.
You have completed years of demanding coursework but also serious training at sea. You have learned that maritime education requires discipline, accountability, and resilience. You have stood watch when others were sleeping, learned how to stay calm under pressure, and discovered that teamwork is essential.
Perhaps most importantly, you have learned that leadership begins long before anyone gives you a title.
None of our journeys begin fully formed. Each of us starts somewhere—often far from where we ultimately end up.
I came to the United States when I was 8 years old with my family, and like many immigrants, we believed deeply in the opportunities in this country. My parents emphasized education, discipline, and perseverance. My connection to the maritime world began through my father, Dr. James S. C. Chao, who grew up in a small farming village of just eight families outside Shanghai during a time of wars, instability, and uncertainty. Opportunities were limited, but his family believed deeply in the power of education.
When he was 21, about the age of our graduating seniors, he left China for Taiwan, at the height of the Chinese Civil War – never to see his father again and not seeing his mother, until 23 years later. On Taiwan, he met my mother, got married and started a family. Through determination, hard work and perseverance, he rose quickly in the maritime profession—becoming one of the youngest ocean-going captains at the age of 29 when most captains were in their 50’s and 60’s. But, still seeking to better himself, he took a 4-day national Master Mariner Examination, achieved the highest score ever recorded, an accomplishment that opened the door for him to continue his education in the United States.
He came alone. He didn’t have money or connections, family or friends. It took him 3 years to bring my mother and his 3 young daughters to America. Our initial years were very challenging. We started out in a one-bedroom apartment in Queens, New York. He finally earned his MBA and founded what would become Foremost Group, building it into a highly respected international shipping company known for innovation, safety standards, and environmental stewardship, guided every day by a simple but powerful set of principles: Honor. Integrity. Performance.
Because my father served as a merchant mariner – Safety is always #1. And the welfare of the seagoing personnel is always paramount.
Long before it was popular, my father and his company Foremost was an advocate for environmental stewardship. An early adopter of green technology, Foremost Group incorporates the latest fuel-efficient and decarbonization designs and non-fossil fuel technology in its fleet, continuously upgrading its ships with energy saving devices, and building new ships with alternative fuel and carbon capture features. Foremost’s fleet is ranked among the world’s most eco-friendly bulk carriers. For his outstanding contributions to the international maritime industry, among innumerable other awards, Dr. Chao was inducted into the International Maritime Hall of Fame at the United Nations and he is honored to receive Maine Maritime’s honorary degree.
My father never forgot where he came from. Remembering how education changed his life, he and my mother devoted themselves to expanding opportunities for others—supporting scholarships and philanthropy like the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center at Harvard University, which has helped thousands of students pursue their own dreams.
Those lessons shaped my own path in public service, including my years as Secretary of Labor and later as Secretary of Transportation. What I learned is something you already understand: preparation matters, character matters, and the habits you build early will carry you further than you can imagine.
From the earliest days of our nation, the maritime industry has been essential to American strength and prosperity. Our ports connected us to the world, and our merchant fleet carried the goods that built our economy. Mariners support commerce, military readiness, and disaster response—delivering critical supplies and strengthening national security, often without recognition.
That proud tradition now passes to you.
You are entering your careers at a time when the maritime industry is more important than ever. Global trade shapes our economy, and supply chains are increasingly complex. Our nation depends on reliable ports, strong transportation networks, and highly trained professionals who understand that success depends on precision and professionalism.
This institution has a proud legacy of producing leaders who are ready to serve. Some of you will sail across the world. Others will work in engineering, logistics, transportation management, ports, or shipyards. Some may one day lead companies or shape national policy.
But wherever your path leads, the foundation remains the same: integrity, discipline, and service.
People will remember whether you were dependable, whether you kept your word, and whether you remained steady when circumstances were difficult. They will remember whether you chose what was right over what was easy.
That is leadership.
As you move forward, I encourage you to remember three things.
First, value competence. Preparation matters. Professionalism matters.
Second, protect your integrity. Your reputation is built slowly and lost quickly. Trust is everything in life. Other people have got to have confidence they can rely on your judgment and your leadership.
Third, remember that leadership is service. The best leaders are not those who seek authority, but those who understand responsibility, remain calm in crisis, and raise standards rather than lower them.
If you carry these principles forward, your success will not be measured only by titles, but by the people who trust you, the teams you strengthen, and the example you set.
Some of the most meaningful opportunities in my life came with challenges I did not feel fully prepared for at the time. But by relying on strong values and a commitment to doing the work well, those challenges became opportunities to grow. The same can be true for you.
It goes without saying that the world is going through tremendous changes. I have been able to talk so far without uttering the words: A.I. Well, I will now. The technological tectonic plates are shifting and transforming our society. But, people are still key, I believe, and learning how to deal with other people will continue to be a very critical facet of life.
Maine Maritime Academy has prepared you not only to navigate oceans, but to navigate complexity. It has taught you how to think under pressure, lead under uncertainty, and remain steady when conditions are anything but steady.
America needs strong mariners, principled leaders, people willing to accept responsibility to serve when it matters most. That is who you are becoming.
So to the Class of 2026:
May your course be steady, your judgment sound, and your commitment unwavering.
May you always have fair winds and following seas. Good luck!
