Meet state Treasurer Vivek Malek

Vivek Malek, attorney and a Master of Business Administration graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, became state treasurer in January after being appointed by Gov. Mike Parson.

Malek, 45, fills the vacancy created when Scott Fitzpatrick was elected state auditor last fall.

The Southeast Missourian posed 10 questions to the native of India, whose most recent public service was on SEMO's Board of Governors.

You've had Cape Girardeau clients in your immigration law practice and you've been a SEMO student and later a university governor. What are other personal connections to Cape?

For some reason, my heart still lives in Cape Girardeau even though our family moved 12 years ago to west St. Louis County, to Wildwood, Missouri. When I'm in town, I always make it a point to visit (former state Rep.) Mary Kasten. Mary's been my mom for a long time. She's 94 now and it's always good to see her. India is home but Cape is an adopted home. It was humbling to have Mary's Bible used in my inauguration ceremony. It was brought to me, at my request, by (former Lt. Gov.) Peter Kinder, who lives in Cape.

How does it happen that you have become state treasurer?

I have always been interested in public service and interacting with people. This was my job as an attorney. I touched a lot of lives during my practice, helping people become legalized citizens in this country. I've long wished to give back in a bigger way and I got the chance in my 2020 appointment to the Board of Governors of SEMO. When I found out Scott Fitzpatrick had won his auditor's election, I reached out to the governor's office and thought the job would be a good opportunity for me.

In your initial comments after being sworn in, you made a promise to "protect, provide and promote." Please expand upon those words and that pledge.

As treasurer, my fiduciary duty is to protect the taxpayers' money and to get the best rate of investment for Missouri's dollars. I'm custodian of state money and principal investor for all the savings we have. My second responsibility is to provide opportunities for Missourians through various resources administered through this office. For example, unclaimed property. We often talk about government taking our money. This is a case where the state gives back people's own money, and trying to locate them to do that. We also have programs and resources such as MO ABLE to help Missourians with disabilities. We have Missouri MOST, to help individuals and families pay for K-through-12 tuition at public, private and religious institutions. We have the MOBUCK$ program to help small businesses with less than 100 employees by enabling low-interest loans. This is especially important now with what the market is doing with current interest rates. We also have a newly launched program called MOScholars created by the General Assembly in 2021, which is a special fund to get more choices for parents in educating their kids. All of these are administered through my office. The third responsibility the treasurer has is to promote the promise of America. This is personal for me as I came to this country 21 years ago as an international student, and being able to live the American dream. In America, I was able to build a successful legal practice, and now transitioning to public service. I also have a happy family life for the last 18 years with three cheerful young kids. I don't think I would have been able to do this anywhere else in the world. If you put your efforts in the right direction, if you work hard and get an education and be focused, the sky's the limit in America.

Have you given up your legal practice?

My office is still there with three other attorneys. Because of ongoing cases, we can't shut down such an operation immediately. I've been an attorney for 17 years, and will keep my law license, but I'm dedicated to this office full time. Actually, to do this the right way, it is more than a full-time effort for me.

How many employees does your office have?

We have 51 total employees, including myself.

How much American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money does the state still have in its coffers?

Kern Chhikara, communications director in my office, has located the information. Out of the original total of $2.865 billion, we estimate $2.788 billion remains. This means $77 million has been spent so far.

You're an appointed treasurer at the moment but it's an elective office. Will you run for the office in your own right when the time comes?

The answer is yes. I will serve out the remaining two years of my predecessor's unexpired term and am announcing my run for the Treasurer's office in 2024. One of the conditions by Governor Parson was to bring stability to this position and I intend to do so wholeheartedly.

In your short tenure as treasurer, what have you learned about the job?

In addition to familiarizing myself with the duty to protect the taxpayers' money and provide resources through the many programs my office administers, I've learned a great deal about the people who've held this job since the state was founded. People may be surprised to learn I'm not the first immigrant to hold this office. The very first occupant, John Peter Didier, a native of France, took office in 1820. The tenth, William Dallmeyer, took office in 1869, was from Hanover, Germany, and he was a dry goods merchant. Dallmeyer was like me in that he was in the United States for about 20 years before becoming treasurer. In the last century, Jacob Gmelich, a watchmaker who hailed from Wurtemberg, Germany, became treasurer in 1905.

I came to America from India, so there have been four of us immigrants in this role.

You are unique, however, in that you are the only person of color to hold statewide office in state history. Do you consider yourself a pioneer?

I don't think my color should define me. Like Martin Luther King Jr. once suggested, I should be known more by my character rather than the color of my skin. I'll also have a track record as treasurer when I run next year for voters to examine.

Does having had long experience living in another culture give you "new eyes" to approach this position?

Fiscal conservatism is very strong in India as is the emphasis on saving. This perspective will influence my work as treasurer.

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