New York, NY (September 10, 2024) — Committee of 100, a non-profit organization of prominent Chinese Americans, today released the following statement mourning the passing of long-time member Gareth C.C. Chang.  Gareth passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 27 in Los Angeles surrounded by his family. He was 81 years old.

A Committee of 100 member since 1992, Gareth served on multiple sub-committees and held numerous board positions over the years, always giving his time, energy and passion for Chinese American issues.  

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Gareth Chang, a long-standing member of our Committee of 100 family since 1992,” said Cindy Tsai, Interim President. “Our thoughts go out to his family during this challenging time. Gareth had always been an integral part of our community for over 30 years, and his invaluable contributions to our dual mission are beyond measure. We remain dedicated to preserving his legacy and furthering the causes he championed with such passion.” 

Gareth was the Chairman and Managing Partner of GC3 and Associates International LLC, a private investment and consulting company. He was also the chairman of D5 Studio for animation and feature film production in China. Gareth was formerly Chairman and Chief Executive of News Corp’s STAR TV Group, the leading multi-channel satellite television network in Asia.

Prior to joining News Corp. in 1998, Gareth was Corporate Senior Vice President of Hughes Electronics Corporation, and President of Hughes Electronics International, responsible for Washington D.C. and worldwide operations. In addition, he was President of DirecTV International and Executive Chairman of Hughes-JVC Technology. Prior to joining Hughes in 1993, Gareth held the positions of Corporate Vice President of McDonnell Douglas and President of McDonnell Douglas Pacific and Asia. He also served as the founding executive chairman of the Joint McDonnell Douglas ­Shanghai Aviation Executive Board for the CoProduction Program.

Gareth served as the first Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and founding President of Hong Kong Aerospace Forum. Additionally, he was a member of the 1996 Advisory Committee of the Export-Import Bank of the United States; Advisor to the Office of Technology Assessment, U.S. Congress; the Board of Governors of the National Center of APEC; the Atlantic Council; the CSIS-Pacific Forum; the Board of the Committee of 100; the Board of Directors of the US-ASEAN Business Council; the National Committee on United States-China Relations; the Pacific Council on International Policy; and the Council on Foreign Relations. He also served on the Boards of Apple, Mallinckrodt, and was founding director of Linkabit Corporation in San Diego.

Gareth held a BA in mathematics/physics and a Doctor of Science (Honorary) from California State University, Fullerton, and an MBA from Pepperdine University. He was an honorary professor at the Beijing Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and visiting professor at the Tsinghua University in Beijing and the Oregon joint professional Schools of Business. 

Gareth is survived by his wife Nancy and son Michael, his daughter Michelle, son-in-law Gene, and granddaughters Gabby and Gia Song. 

A funeral service and celebration of life dinner will be held on September 21 in California, starting at 3pm. Details and RSVP information can be found here.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to California State University, Fullerton Scholarships in Gareth Chang’s name, to help educate future leaders.  

About Committee of 100 

Committee of 100 is a non-profit U.S. leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, healthcare, and the arts focused on public policy engagement, civic engagement, and philanthropy. For over 30 years, Committee of 100 has served as a preeminent organization committed to the dual missions of promoting the full participation of Chinese Americans in all aspects of American life and constructive relations between the United States and Greater China. Visit https://www.committee100.org.

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Contacts:

Charles Zinkowski
Sr. Director of Marketing & Communications
czinkowski@committee100.org

Sam Jones
PR & Social Media Manager
sjones@committee100.org