Next year (2025) is an election year for city-level positions, and candidates have already begun the hustle of campaigning and fundraising. On the evening of August 30th, dozens of Chinese gathered in Flushing to raise funds for Ismael Malave, a Puerto Rican candidate running for New York City Comptroller next year, showing their support for his candidacy.
Ismael Malave brings a wealth of experience in finance and government services, having previously worked in the offices of five comptrollers (including two city comptrollers and three state comptrollers). He has 23 years of government service experience, with 16 years specifically spent working in comptroller offices.
Malave’s educational background includes a Market Marketing and Government Policy MBA from the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College, as well as a degree in Economics from Lehman College.
In an interview with this media outlet, Ismael Malave shared that during his time in the comptroller’s office, he managed a $2 billion real estate investment portfolio, conducted real estate and financial investment analysis on a $10 billion investment portfolio, monitored risks in collaboration with partners, with the goal of ensuring the safety and effectiveness of the pension system and guaranteeing returns on the pension system.
Ismael Malave stated, “I believe I am the most qualified person to run for this position because I understand all the responsibilities of the comptroller’s office, managing debt rights and monitoring debt, conducting audits and eliminating fraud, waste, and corruption.”
Despite calls to defund the police during the peak of the pandemic, Malave publicly expressed his support for law enforcement, emphasizing that a city without security cannot thrive economically.
Malave also emphasized his connection to the Chinese community, stating, “I enjoy Chinese cuisine very much, my son has studied Mandarin for 6 years, I love the Chinese community, the South Asian community, the Hispanic community, the Jewish community, and the Sikh community. I am honored and humble because I am in the most important job of my life.”
Martha Flores-Vazquez, a community leader in the Democratic Party in Flushing, who like Malave was born in Puerto Rico, attended the fundraising dinner to show her support for him. She mentioned, “I have known him for over 30 years, he has worked in the offices of five comptrollers, he is very experienced and diverse, he has many Chinese friends. We understand why we came to the United States, to strive for the American Dream, and I believe he represents our American Dream. He is the most qualified, the best candidate, the only Hispanic candidate, it is time to embrace diversity!”
Alice Liu, a Chinese supporter, expressed, “Malave has 23 years of political experience, studied economics and has an MBA, worked in the comptroller’s office for many years, and is relatively honest, which is very rare. So, I believe he will bring improvement to New York and is a suitable candidate.”