Huaizhen Jane Zhang
Huaizhen Jane Zhang, 59, of Simpsonville, SC, wife of Jun Hu, passed away on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Born in the Year of the Horse in Taiyuan, China, she was the daughter of Shaohua Peng and the late Ronghua Xiao.
After attending college in China, she left for the United States in 1989 and received her Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Carolina and MBA from Clemson University. She rose to VP of Engineering at Carter & Crawley before starting her own venture, STAR EV, in 2003 and more recently, STAR EV Rentals.
Jane led the company to great heights and received multiple awards like SC’s Top 25 Fastest Growing Companies, Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Southeast Regional Winner and National Finalist. She was chairwoman of the local Chinese Cultural Association and a vibrant leader in the local business community.
She was extraordinarily generous, witty, and kind. Her tenacity extended not just to business but to her love for life. She never stopped reading, learning, and caring for others. She was exceptional.
She leaves behind a great legacy that will surely be carried by the thousands of people whose lives she has touched. One of her last words was “明天更好”, “Tomorrow will be a better day.” This captures her true indomitable spirit.
In addition to Jun, her husband, she is survived by two daughters, Jenny Hu and Jessica Hu; and two brothers, Huaibing Zhang and Huaizhong Zhang.
A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. at Fellowship Greenville; 3161 S Highway 14, Greenville, SC 29615. The family will be receiving friends prior to the service beginning at 11:00 a.m.
Interment will be private for the family and close friends.
I did not have the privilege of meeting Jane; but, felt I knew her vicariously thru my son, Tim.
She was indeed an exceptional person who will be missed by all who knew her and especially those who worked closely with her each day, admired her and her many accomplishments.
We followed her journey and prayed for her and her beautiful family.. we now share your loss.
Please accept our heartfelt sympathy.
I am wishing you peace and strength during your time of sorrow. She was the kindest most giving person and I am Blessed to have known her. I will remember her resilience and what a Great businesswoman she was.
It is with great sadness that I read this news. She has been a great friend and a wonderful person to work for. It is most unfortunate that she did not live to further enjoy her family and friends.
Jane has been a great and generous friend for quite some time. I first came to know her, approximately thirty years ago, when she worked at Carter & Crawley in South Carolina while I worked at their Ft. Lauderdale office. Eventually I went to work for her after she started JHGlobal, later renamed Star EV Corp., and I cherish the times we spent together.
We are all going to miss her very much.
The loss of Jane is hard to process. It was beyond an honor to work alongside her and to witness her strength, leadership, and determination. she was more than a leader, she was a mentor, a friend to all, a visionary, and a steady source of encouragement. Her courage and strength over the past several years was nothing short of remarkable. She never allowed her circumstances to define her, and she continued to lead with integrity, passion, and heart. I will always be grateful for the lessons she taught me, the standards she set, and the example she lived every day. My deepest condolences go to her family and to everyone whose life she touched. She leaves behind a legacy that will continue to guide and inspire each of us here at STAR. We love you Jane.
Jane has been my lifetime friend.
More than thirty-six years ago, we were among the young dreamers who first came to America — carrying hope in our hearts, determination in our steps, and the belief that through hard work we could build a future greater than our circumstances. We were far from home, starting from nothing, yet full of courage.
From those early graduate school days, I witnessed nearly every chapter of Jane’s life unfold — her marriage, the building of her beautiful family, raising her children with devotion and wisdom, and creating a company from the ground up. Through vision, integrity, intelligence, and relentless perseverance, she built a respected and successful business in the street-legal EV industry.
But Jane was more than a successful entrepreneur. She was a living example of what it means to pursue the American dream with dignity and purpose — and then give back to society with generosity and responsibility. For all of us who came to this country with dreams and worked tirelessly to realize them, she was our model, our standard, our inspiration. She showed that success is not only measured by achievement, but by character, contribution, and the lives we uplift along the way.
And in the past four years, I witnessed yet another chapter — her fierce and courageous battle with cancer. Even as her body weakened, her spirit never surrendered. She faced suffering with the same strength, grace, and quiet determination that defined her entire life.
Jane was an extraordinary woman — a loving and devoted mother, a steadfast and deeply cherished wife, a loyal and irreplaceable friend. Brilliant yet humble. Strong yet gentle. Accomplished yet always kind. She had my ultimate respect and my deepest love.
Though she has left us physically, her beautiful spirit continues to carry us forward. The values she lived by, the courage she demonstrated, and the love she gave so freely remain alive in all of us. She will never be forgotten. She will be remembered not only for what she achieved, but for who she was — and for how she made us better.
To her beautiful family — please know that you are never alone. We will always stand by you. May Jane’s memory bring you comfort and strength during this most difficult time. I truly believe she is watching over you, surrounding you with her love, and protecting you as she always has.
With enduring love, remembrance, and profound respect,
Ping
Jane Zhang wasn’t just my boss for 12 years — she was my friend. She and her husband built Star EV from the ground up, and she led with strength, intelligence, and quiet confidence. She was a true leader and such a role model for women in
When I got married, most of my family couldn’t be there — only my brother came. But my work family showed up. Jane stood by my side, just like she did in so many seasons of my life. That meant more to me than I can put into words.
She took us ladies out to lunch a few times a year, making sure we felt appreciated. A few years ago she decided to start running — and she ran the Turkey Trot and the BMW 2-mile race with me. That was Jane. Determined. Strong. Always growing.
She fought cancer courageously for four years. Only 59. Far too young.
I’m going to miss her deeply. I’m so grateful I got to know her, work for her, laugh with her, and call her my friend.
Rest peacefully, Jane. 🤍
Jane left us, it is a huge loss for the industry. I couldn’t believe it. I can still think of her warm smile when I sat with her, we talked about business and family. I learnt a lot from her not only in business, but also in personality. She is honest, sharp, she is the one who I know achieves the real American dreams.
I can still remember once she worked too late at night, I told her to go to bed to have a good sleep, she said “we are hardworking Chinese, aren’t we?”
R.I.P Jane
We are so sorry to hear of Jane’s passing. We were a Star EV dealer from Indiana for many years and visited the facility several times. Jane was truly one of a kind person and helped us grow our business in many ways. Prayers go out to her family and friends.