Paul Massey, a millionaire real estate executive, officially announced that he will run for NYC mayor against incumbent Bill de Blasio in the 2017 election.
Here’s what we know about the Republican, who has said former Mayor Michael Bloomberg is “the model” for his campaign.
He co-founded Massey Knakal Realty Services in 1988
Massey and Robert Knakal founded Massey Knakal Realty Services, a brokerage firm serving all five boroughs. It was bought by Cushman & Wakefield in 2014, and Massey became the president of New York investment sales at Cushman & Wakefield.
His campaign strategy will be based on his business strategy
Massey explained to The Real Deal that his strategy will be based on “the territory system,” which was used by Massey Knakal Realty Services. The system divides the city into a number of regions and designates one broker to head each region. “We’ve done business in every neighborhood, in every community,” Massey told The Real Deal in May. “And those are the relationships we would look to.”
He has taken aim at Mayor de Blasio’s “tale of two cities” slogan from 2013
“This is not a tale of two cities,” Massey’s website says. “This is the world’s greatest city and diversity is our strength.”
As of Aug. 8, 2016, the businessman’s campaign website does not have any other information regarding his opinions and positions on policies.
He also started a political-action committee to fund his campaign called 1NY Together in January, but he shut it down before officially announcing his run for office.
He is on the board of the Tenement Museum
Massey is a co-chair of the development committee at the Tenement Museum. He has also served on the board of the James Lenox House Association, which provides affordable housing to older New Yorkers.
He was born in Boston
According to Massey’s biography on the Cushman & Wakefield website, Massey was born in Boston and attended Colgate University before moving to Manhattan. He has also lived in Westchester.
He has three children
Massey and his wife, Gretchen, have three grown children, PJ, Sarah and Greta, according to his campaign website.
