Humble Beginnings – David Chao
The story of COI Rubber begins in Taiwan, where our CEO was born into peasant hardship. David’s family lived with very little, surviving off the land and making sacrifices just to get through each day. As a child, he remembers his grandmother giving him what little food they had while she quietly ate tree bark. At the time, he didn’t understand the depth of her sacrifice only later did he realize what love and resilience truly looked like.
The Journey to America
When David was just three years old, his family made the life-changing decision to leave everything behind and migrate to the United States in search of a better future. His parents gave up working in the fields to chase the dream of opportunity. But life in America was not easy. He entered the school system without speaking a word of English and struggled to adapt to an unfamiliar culture. Despite these early obstacles, he embraced American values and the spirit of hard work. He learned to navigate life with grit, persistence, and a deep sense of responsibility to his family. By the age of 8, he was already helping his parents by selling keychains door-to-door and at school. At 13, he graduated to selling cell phones and accessories hustling after school and on weekends, doing whatever he could to bring in income and support his family. At 16, tragedy struck. His father became seriously ill and need care. The weight of responsibility fell squarely on his young shoulders suddenly, he was the man of the house. He continued to support his mother and father while working full time and pursuing his education. Determined not to let his circumstances define him, he put himself through college while working full time at a local computer shop. Balancing school, work, and home life was never easy, but he stayed focused. He eventually earned a Bachelor of Science in International Business, equipping himself with the tools to thrive in the global economy.
The Birth of COI Rubber
In his early 20s, he joined a local manufacturing company, starting from the ground up. Through hard work, leadership, and a deep understanding of both production and business operations, he rose through the ranks to become Vice President. It was there that he saw firsthand how manufacturers could better serve customer with lower costs, greater flexibility, and higher quality. With that vision in mind, he decided to take the leap and start his own company. COI Rubber was founded on everything he had learned from the fields of China to the boardrooms of American industry. Today, COI Rubber is a trusted name in rubber and plastic manufacturing, known for delivering high-performance, low-cost solutions to companies around the world. His mission is simple: provide value, honor sacrifice, and build something that lasts.
A Legacy in Motion
COI Rubber is more than a manufacturer, it’s the culmination of a life built from peasant roots, shaped by tragedy, and transformed through relentless determination. Every product we deliver carries the story of a little boy who watched his grandmother eat tree bark so he could have a better life, and who grew into a man driven to build something meaningful. That story lives on in every seal, gasket, and custom component we make.
