CB8 search for community coordinator has ended with 'Ardy' Malziu as pick

Community Board 8 has found a new community coordinator and he is a former colleague of District Manager Farrah Rubin.

Norwood resident Ardhmir “Ardy” Malziu joined the staff of CB8 Nov. 16 after board members voted to approve his hire Nov. 14.

Malziu, the 23-year-old former coordinator for corporate and community relations for the New York Yankees takes over the role after a three month vacancy. His predecessor Luke Szabados left to work for the New York City Department of Transportation to work as a project manager.

“Just letting them know that, listen, we’re here for you guys,” he said when asked what he will bring to the job. “And I’m not sure if a lot of people in the area know what the community board does. And so letting them know, ‘hey, we are here for you to assist you in any issues that you may have, whether it be quality of life issues or just anything happening in the community. We are here for you.’”

District Manager Rubin told board members she was impressed with Malziu’s resume and ability to do the job. She also had prior experience working alongside him in doing community outreach for former Councilman Mark Gjonaj.

The new hire, son of Albanian immigrants from Kosovo, is a native Bronx resident, having grown up in Norwood. He attended public schools his entire life up until he went to college at Fordham University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and government.

Malziu told The Riverdale Press he was initially an undecided major at Fordham.

It wasn’t until he started a four-month internship with then Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj, who fittingly was the first Albanian elected official in New York state, that he found his love for politics and government.

“After a brief internship with (Gjonaj) in the Assembly, he went on to the New York City Council, where I was an intern there for a couple of months,” Malziu explained. “And then I joined his team as a community outreach coordinator, where I eventually ended up working alongside (Rubin).”

As a community outreach coordinator Malziu, alongside Rubin, worked on a slew of constituent cases, events in the 13th district, and a newsletter. They also attended community events like community board meetings, particularly Community Board 10 and 11.

Malziu was also involved in the Bronx Democratic Party, where he helped in nominating judicial delegates and judges in the Bronx. Some of the campaigns he was involved with were state Sen. Nathalia Fernandez, former state Sen. Jeffrey Klein, and former U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley.

Following the end of Gjonaj’s term in the New York City Council, Malziu took a shift from government and joined the New York Yankees as a coordinator for corporate and community relations. During his time with the Yankees he helped host several events with community and nonprofit organizations, including helping more than a dozen Make a Wish Kids secure their dream of meeting players and attending batting practice.

As a community coordinator Malziu will work with CB8 members on their agendas, minutes, constituent cases, assisting with social media and posting meetings to YouTube, spearheading the monthly newsletters and focusing on community outreach. One of Malziu’s first events after joining the team was a turkey giveaway.

He tells The Press that CB8 will soon be distributing tickets to the New York Yankees Winter Wonderland event, an annual event which provides gifts, such as toys and chocolate, to children in underserved communities.

“We want to focus a lot more on community outreach as well,” Malziu said. “...And if you have any issues, please bring it forward to us.”

CB8 Chair Julie Reyes in consultation with the officers of the board, Rubin, Treasurer Scott Krompinger recommended Malziu’s salary be set at $72,000 per year.

Malziu joins several others in filling positions that were left vacant since the summer. Three committee chairs were left vacant in June, those chairs included the chair for aging, environment & sanitation and housing.

The committee chairs for aging and housing were filled by Oscar Martinez and Rosemary Ginty respectively in October. Robert Fanuzzi is currently the interim acting chair of the environment & sanitation committee until that vacancy is filled.