Lubavitcher on NYC ’40 Under 40′

City & State, a bimonthly publication devoted solely to covering government and politics in the city and state of New York, has included a Lubavitcher from Crown Heights on its 2014 NYC 40 Under 40 list.

“These 40 exceptional young people—selected from over 600 reader nominations—have already earned the respect of their colleagues and made a difference in the sectors and communities in which they work,” they wrote.

“As accomplished as this year’s class already is, we are certain that they have much farther to go in their professional and personal lives. We invite you to meet these leaders of tomorrow today.”

Avi Leshes, 28, Director of Neighborhood Business Services at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, was one of those 50 up-and-coming leaders.

Here is their description:

When it comes to working in politics, there are those who are more attracted to campaigns and power struggles, and then there are those who are driven by a passion for public service. For Avi Leshes, understanding the former helped him develop the latter.

Observing Rudy Giuliani’s mayoralty and Bill Clinton campaign for reelection in 1996 stoked Leshes’ initial interest in politics, but when he got a job interning for U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in college, he quickly learned the value of constituent services. Leshes was tasked with handling veterans issues, one of Gillibrand’s main focuses as a legislator, helping those who returned from military service navigate the bureaucracy of the Department of Veterans Affairs and find jobs, an area he has continued to work in as part of his current position at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.

“Knowing how Sen. Gillibrand and her office were very passionate about veterans, and the [Chamber] being the economic engine of Brooklyn, it was only right that we should make it a place for veterans,” Leshes said.

Leshes was instrumental in creating the chamber’s Veterans Business Affairs Council, a working group of advocacy organizations in the borough that meets to talk about issues facing veterans. Leshes said the veterans venture typifies the kind of work he does at the Chamber, which emphasizes taking a holistic approach to Brooklyn’s continued growth.

“We’re trying to do smart development, trying to create the will for economic development in each community based on what the needs of each community are, not just taking a one-size-fits-all approach and trying to take it across Brooklyn.”

IF YOU WERE NOT WORKING IN POLITICS OR GOVERNMENT, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING? 

“I probably would want to do something along the lines of international business. I really have a love for traveling the world and getting to know different countries and communities.”

NOT COUNTING NEW YORK CITY, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CITY IN THE WORLD, AND WHY? 

“I’ve grown to love Singapore, especially the downtown. It reminds me a lot of New York; a nonstop city.”