Members of the Chao family signing the beam at the topping-off ceremony of the Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center at Harvard Business School in Boston on April 24. From left: Angela Chao, Dr James S. C. Chao, former secretary of labor Elaine L. Chao, May Chao and Jessica Chao Hwang. Dong Leshuo / China Daily

The hallowed grounds of Harvard have experienced an event that's ground-breaking in more ways than one.

A "Topping Off"ceremony was held at the construction site of the new Ruth Mulan Chu Chao executive education facility at Harvard Business School on Friday.

The Chao Center, a 90,000-square-foot, four-story structure that will house classrooms, meeting rooms, offices and dining facilities is the result of a $40 million gift from the Dr James Si-Cheng Chao and Family Foundation.

The Ruth Mulan Chu Chao Center will be the first building named after a woman on the Harvard campus and the first building named after an American of Chinese decent, according to Elaine Chao, the eldest of six daughters of the Chao family and a former US Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush.

"My father wanted to pay tribute to my mother's extraordinary life and legacy and hopes it will serve as an inspiration for future leaders to build a better world,"said she said.

The ‘Topping Off' ceremony is a long-standing tradition in construction derived from an ancient Scandinavian builders rite held when the highest beam is placed atop a structure during construction.

The Chao family, members of the Harvard Business School community and construction workers, signed the beam and then watched as it was raised into place.

"I feel blessed that the Harvard Business School campus will commemorate the success story of this family, the love of Dr Chao and his daughters for Mrs Chao, their truly incredible journey from their home country to the United States, and all they have done for both countries,"said by Nitin Nohria, dean of Harvard Business School.

"The Chao Center will symbolize this bridging of family and bridging of cultures,"Nohria said.

The building serves as the gateway to Harvard Business School for the more than 10,000 executives from around the world who attend programs on campus each year.