Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin

Melissa Conyears-Ervin is the current City Treasurer of the City of Chicago and a former State Representative for the 10th District. She believes in the promise of opportunity and the strength of families to effectively address the needs of our communities. As the product of a single-parent household, Melissa has seen firsthand the value of education and faith from her mother. Through hard work and determination, Melissa became the first in her family to graduate from college and earn an MBA from Roosevelt University. She has more than 15 years of experience in the insurance industry as an executive for Allstate and CS Insurance Strategies. Melissa is well qualified and intimately aware of the challenges in this diverse and vibrant City of Chicago.

During her tenure as State Representative for the 10th district, Melissa sponsored the improved Illinois education funding formula that directed over $221 million dollars in additional funding to Chicago Public Schools. She was also the chief sponsor of bipartisan legislation that protected funding for childcare assistance, a service that allows many working parents to stay in the workforce.

As City Treasurer, Melissa plans to focus her private-sector and financial training on ways to increase economic development in Chicago’s neighborhoods. She believes that Chicago’s $9.5 billion-dollar portfolio should be leveraged to help Chicago communities grow at the same economic rate, regardless of their zip code. Additionally, Chicago’s investments should observe a triple bottom line, turning a profit while ensuring city money makes environmentally friendly investments and aids working families.

In addition to her extensive civic and financial backgrounds, Melissa is passionate about giving back to the community. She has served as a mentor for high school girls and as co-chair of several events for the community, including the popular back-to-school festival that provides school supplies for over 1,000 kids. Melissa is married, has a daughter, and is a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Melissa and her husband live in Garfield Park with their young daughter, Jeneva. She also serves as the youth superintendent at Mt. Vernon Church and participates in a youth mentoring program for teenage girls. Melissa also founded a women’s book club that draws members from Roscoe Village to Lawndale.

Melissa is prepared to meet the challenges of the office. She is committed to protecting and growing the City’s $9.5 billion-dollar portfolio, while serving as the only city-wide elected official sitting on four pension boards. Melissa considers it an honor to serve the City of Chicago as its Treasurer. She cares deeply about the community and will work diligently to restore the integrity, honesty and dedication that the entire City of Chicago deserves.