Allen Y. Chao is a

Taiwanese-American Taiwanese Americans () are Americans who carry full or partial ancestry from Taiwan. This includes American-born citizens who descend from migrants from Taiwan. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, 49% of Taiwanese Americans lived in the state of Califo ...

businessman who founded

Watson Pharmaceuticals Actavis Generics (formerly known as Watson Pharmaceuticals and Actavis plc, prior to the acquisition of Irish-based Allergan Inc) is a global pharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, developing, manufacturing and marketing branded pharmaceuti ...

and served as chief executive officer from 1984 to 2008 and chairman. Born in Shanghai, he spent his childhood in Taiwan. Chao went to

Taipei Medical College Taipei Medical University (TMU; ) in Taiwan is located in Taipei's Xinyi District. Founded as Taipei Medical College in 1960, it was renamed as Taipei Medical University in 2000. TMU has expanded into a world class university with ten colleges, ...

, where he graduated with a

B.S. A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University ...

degree in pharmacy in 1967.Distinguished Alumni 1995: Allen Y. Chao
– website of Purdue University After emigrating to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, Chao obtained an

M.S. A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...

degree in Pharmaceutics from

West Virginia University West Virginia University (WVU) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, Potomac State College ...

in 1970. He subsequently received a

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

degree in Industrial and Physical Pharmacy from

Purdue University Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...

in 1973. Chao, along with other members of the Chao family, contributed to the establishment of the

Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center The University of California, Irvine Medical Center (UCIMC or UCI Medical Center) is a major research hospital located in Orange, California. It is the teaching hospital for the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. History P ...

and the H.H. Chao Comprehensive Digestive Disease Center at the

University of California, Irvine Medical Center The University of California, Irvine Medical Center (UCIMC or UCI Medical Center) is a major research hospital located in Orange, California. It is the teaching hospital for the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. History Pl ...

Irvine Irvine may refer to: Places On Earth Antarctica *Irvine Glacier *Mount Irvine (Antarctica) Australia *Irvine Island *Mount Irvine, New South Wales Canada *Irvine, Alberta * Irvine Inlet, Nunavut United Kingdom *Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotla ...

, California campus. Since their first gift to the university in 1995, Chao and his family have given nearly $30 million to the campus. In 2005, Chao contributed to the establishment of The Chao Center for Industrial Pharmacy, located in the Purdue Research Park in Indiana, to provide leadership in pharmaceutical education, development and manufacturing. Currently, he serves as chairman and managing partner of Newport Healthcare Advisors LLC. He is also a trustee of the University of California, Irvine Foundation. In May 2000, Chao received an honorary

D.Sc. Doctor of Science ( la, links=no, Scientiae Doctor), usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D., or D.S., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries, "Doctor of Science" is the degree used f ...

degree from Purdue University in recognition of his leadership and vision for the production and marketing of pharmaceutical products.Leadership
– website of Impax Laboratories

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chao, Allen Living people American health care chief executives Businesspeople in the pharmaceutical industry Purdue University College of Pharmacy alumni Taiwanese emigrants to the United States 1944 births