April 25, 2014
By Tam Phan
New York, NY — Mayor Bill de Blasio has appointed Julie Menin as New York City’s Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner. In this role, Menin will lead the administration’s engagement efforts with businesses and consumers from neighborhoods across the five boroughs to ensure the city’s consumer protection laws are followed, inspector fines are fairly levied, and consumer complaints are handled quickly and efficiently.
A former restaurant owner, regulatory attorney and community leader, Menin brings two decades of experience to the department. Menin will be charged with enforcing the city’s consumer protection laws, and implementing aggressive outreach targeted at consumers and businesses in all five boroughs.
“My administration is committed to ensuring that both consumers and businesses are armed with the information they need to build up the city’s vibrant economy,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Julie understands that small businesses are the key to economic growth in our city—and I know she will apply regulations with public safety, not city revenues, in mind.”
In her work as a regulatory attorney, Menin specialized in consumer protection law, helping to ensure businesses complied with product safety regulations and protecting against deceptive advertising. As a former restaurant owner in lower Manhattan and as the founder and president of a non-profit dedicated to the revitalization of lower Manhattan after September 11, 2001, Menin has navigated the complex relationship between city regulatory agencies and small businesses.
