US News Center
10/18/2021
No one understands finance like Yvonne Yiu. As a successful business and finance professional, with extensive experience in financial management and investment, Yvonne opened her own firm, with over $1 billion in assets under her management – all before the age of 40. She previously served as a financial advisor at Charles Schwab and Citibank, Branch Manager at E*Trade and as a Regional Manager at Merrill Lynch where she oversaw 5 international branches, 53 financial advisors and $4 billion in assets.
Yvonne Yiu earned her BA degree in Economics from UCLA and her MBA in Finance from Loyola Marymount University. She completed the Certified Regulatory and Compliance Professional Program through the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and holds 12 FINRA Securities Licenses as well serving as a FINRA Arbitrator.
As State Controller, Yvonne will safeguard California’s finances, ensure that public retirement investments are sound and work to make the American dream accessible to everyone.
COMMITTED TO THE POWER OF WORKING FAMILIES
Following the death of her father, Yvonne and her family immigrated to the United States from Hong Kong when she was 16 years old. Yvonne has never forgotten the difficulties her mother faced trying to raise three daughters on her own.
Throughout her career, Yvonne has made it a priority to help women achieve financial literacy, teaching them to manage their personal finances and household budgets, how to save and pay for college and how to prepare for retirement security. Yvonne wants to build programs in California to assist more women, communities of color, immigrants and young people in developing, understanding and effectively utilizing financial skills so that they are economically secure. This includes lowering the cost of college tuition, providing training on financial planning and teaching youth early – even in high school – how to plan for and manage their finances.
FOCUSED ON MAKING GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY A REALITY
Yvonne recognizes the importance of transparency and accountability when it comes to public monies. At her own investment firm, Yvonne had to perform internal audits and prepare large audits annually for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the State of California. As State Controller, she will ensure accountability and transparency in government and the state’s finances through improved technology and online communication.
Yvonne understands that we need to get our economy back on track following the COVID-19 pandemic as we work to close the growing economic gap between the rich and the poor in California. She will help ensure our community has good law and order, our schools have the resources to re-open safely and that small businesses have the support they need while providing job training and opportunity for those who have been out of work.
WORKING MOMS ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR STATE
Yvonne was inspired by her own mom’s career as a nurse. Like so many other California moms, Yvonne has always had a career while raising her family. She has twin 2-year-old boys and a 20-year-old son working at the National Institute of Health as a cancer researcher. Yvonne’s husband, Dr. Albert Young, is an M.D. and Chief Administrative Officer at Allied Pacific of California IPA.
Yvonne began her public service career on the Monterey Park City Council where she currently serves as Mayor. As State Controller she will continue working to ensure families have access to quality childcare, housing that’s affordable, access to a good education and the opportunity for a good job with healthcare and retirement security.
Photo by Mayor Yvonne Yiu.
