Malek appointed as new state treasurer by Parson
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Gov. Mike Parson announced on Tuesday that he is appointing Vivek Malek as the next state treasurer.
Malek, 45, of Wildwood, was appointed after the position was vacated by Scott Fitzpatrick’s election to be the next state auditor in November.
Malek is a practicing attorney and owns the Law Offices of Vivek Malek, which he started in 2011.
Parson previously appointed Malek in 2020 to the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Governors. He will resign his position on the Board of Governors prior to being sworn in as State Treasurer.
"It is the honor of my life to be able to serve as the next State Treasurer of the State of Missouri, and I promise to give the job and the people of Missouri my all and best," Malek said in a press release. "I can attest that the American Dream is alive and well. Anyone who has forgotten need only realize his or her God given potential. Only in this great land of freedom and liberty does it not matter who your parents are or what you ethnicity is in determining your success. I look forward to getting to work and doing my part to help achieve an even better future for all Missourians."
Malek has been practicing law since 2000 and has practiced law in Missouri since 2006. He works extensively on legal immigration litigation and business immigration consulting.
Malek was recognized by the Missouri Senate (2015) and Missouri House (2007) for his service and contributions to Missouri communities. He was awarded the Minority Business Leader Award by the St. Louis Business Journal in 2010, earned the Up and Coming Lawyers Award by Missouri Lawyers Media in 2010, and was recognized as Top 30 Under 30 by Business Today magazine in 2007, among other awards and recognitions.
Malek has a bachelor of arts degree and juris doctorate from Mahrishi Dayanand University in Rohtak, India. He also has a master of business administration degree from Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau and a Master of Laws from the University of Illinois College of Law in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois.
Malek has been married to his wife, Riju, for 18 years. They have three children.
”Vivek’s story is inspiring proof that the American Dream can and will live on for the next generation of Missourians,” Parson said in a press release. “President Reagan once said immigrants are one of the greatest sources of American greatness, and both Vivek and I agree. Through our shared values, Vivek helps legal immigrants embrace our nation and achieve their American Dream too. As a Republican, strong capitalist, and conservative Missourian, we know Vivek will be a principled leader who works hard every day to safeguard the people’s money and bring opportunity to Missouri families and their communities.”
House Minority Leader Crystal Quade (D-Springfield) issued a statement for the Missouri Democrats congratulating Malek on his appointment before criticizing Parson.
“It is disappointing, of course, that it took the governor five tries to look beyond the usual suspects before picking the first non-white Missourian to hold a top statewide executive branch office," Quade said in the statement. "Missouri is a diverse state with a diverse pool of qualified candidates who merited more consideration than the governor had shown with his previous statewide appointments.”
