Melissa Conyears-Ervin, the Chicago City Treasurer, has been named to Crain’s Notable Leaders in Finance for 2025. According to Crain’s Chicago Business, Conyears-Ervin manages the city’s $11.1 billion investment portfolio, which produced $318.7 million in returns during fiscal year 2023. She has emphasized promoting diversity within finance by ensuring that over 54% of trades are conducted through minority-owned firms and advancing financial literacy through citywide programs.
Since her election as the first African American woman to serve as city treasurer in 2019, Conyears-Ervin has initiated a $75 million Catalyst Fund aimed at supporting Black-owned businesses. She also led efforts for divestment from fossil fuels, aligning the city’s investments with broader environmental and equity objectives.
Conyears-Ervin is involved with several boards, including the Chicago Development Fund and Commission for Advancing Equity in Banking, as well as serving on Eastern Illinois University’s advisory board.
"Meet our latest Notable Leaders in Finance, an accomplished group of professionals guiding their firms' financial operations. These executives, managing directors, partners and chief financial officers lead teams across industries, including banking, investment, insurance, corporate finance, health care and nonprofits. They’re overseeing transformative mergers, implementing innovative capital strategies and modernizing operations," states Crain's Chicago Business.