Albert Y. Chao, born around 1950, is the co-founder and current President and CEO of Westlake Chemical Corporation. His family's background is one of powerful entrepreneurship rooted in Asia before transferring their ambitions to the American chemical industry. His father, T.T. Chao (1921–2008), was a Chinese industrialist who founded the plastics company 'Gulf Coast Portland Cement' and later 'Westlake Chemical'.

Albert, alongside his brother James, was trained from an early age to manage this industrial dynasty. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Columbia University. This combination of technical chemical engineering knowledge and advanced business training proved essential for building a massive, global chemical manufacturing company from the ground up.

Albert Chao’s career has been spent entirely focused on the growth and strategic management of the chemical empire co-founded by his father, T.T. Chao. He co-founded Westlake Chemical Corporation with his father in 1986, a pivotal moment that focused the family's investment on large-scale commodity chemicals.

Albert has played a crucial role in managing the company's aggressive and strategic expansion, particularly in the vinyl and polyethylene markets. He oversaw the company’s successful listing on the NYSE in 2004. Under his leadership, Westlake has grown through massive, strategically executed acquisitions, notably including the $3.8 billion acquisition of Axiall in 2016, a deal that significantly expanded Westlake's production capacity and solidified its position as a global leader. Today, Albert serves as the President and CEO of the Fortune 500 company, which has over 16,000 employees and generates over $15 billion in annual revenue.

The Chao family’s philanthropy is rooted in education, cultural heritage, and supporting the institutions that fostered their commercial success. Their giving is channeled through the T.T. and W.F. Chao Foundation, established to honor their parents.

Key philanthropic efforts focus on: education (endowing professorships and student support), healthcare, and arts and culture. The foundation has made substantial donations to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, recognizing the critical importance of health research. Furthermore, through Westlake Chemical, the company is committed to environmental stewardship and safety in its chemical manufacturing processes, a vital form of corporate social responsibility in their industry. The Chao brothers ensure that their wealth supports both the technical and ethical foundations of the industries they operate in.