UP CLOSE -- Julie Kramer

* SHE IS: Vice president and manager of Union Bank’s superior office in

Newport Beach

* CITY OF RESIDENCE: Costa Mesa

* CITY OF WORK: Newport Beach

* WHEN WERE YOU HIRED?: January 1974

* FAMILY STATUS: Single

* AGE: 56

* EDUCATION: High school and various college courses

* PAST POSITIONS: I have held various positions within Union Bank of

California and its predecessors

* EXPLANATION OF JOB IN 15 WORDS OR LESS: Manage a full-service retail

banking office and am responsible for developing new and existing banking

relationships

* YOUR GREATEST PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Becoming a branch manager after

first starting out in 1974 as a bookkeeper for the bank

* YOUR GREATEST PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT: Losing 80 pounds in order to have a

laparoscopic gall bladder surgery in March

* YOUR PERSONAL MOTTO: Don’t have one

* YOUR GREATEST EXTRAVAGANCE: Going to New York in June to the Belmont

horse race on a week’s notice

* THE BEST BOOK YOU’VE READ: I’ve read too many to pick just one.

However, the latest favorite would have to be the “Divine Secrets of the

Ya Ya Sisters.”

* THE COMPACT DISC IN YOUR CAR RIGHT NOW: I don’t have a CD player in my

car

* YOUR MOST TREASURED POSSESSION: My family, including my Boston terrier,

Buddy, and all of my friends

* WORD OR PHRASE YOU MOST OVERUSE: I don’t think I have one that I

overuse

* WHAT CAN YOU COOK?: I don’t cook, I assemble

* A HABIT YOU WISH YOU COULD CHANGE: Unrealistic expectations of myself

and others

* THE COLLEGE MAJOR YOU ALMOST TOOK: I didn’t go to college

* YOUR LAST CHARITABLE ACT: A contribution to the Girls Inc. main center

newsletter

* AS A CHILD, WHAT DID SCHOOLMATES TEASE YOU ABOUT?: I don’t remember as

it was too long ago

* WHAT IS IN YOUR TRUNK RIGHT NOW: A flashlight, tennis shoes, lots of

paper from various board meetings, a dog leash and a water bowl

* THE FIRST THING THAT ATTRACTED YOU TO YOUR SPOUSE OR PARTNER: Don’t

have one of those

* THE WORST IDEA YOU EVER HAD: Having my father try to teach me to drive

a stick shift

* WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN VOTED IN HIGH SCHOOL: Friendliest

* WHO ARE YOUR HEROES?:My parents, who overcame the difficulties of being

deaf and led productive lives

* FAVORITE ESCAPE FROM REALITY: Reading, shopping or traveling

* ONE THING YOU WOULD CHANGE ABOUT THE WORLD IF YOU COULD: Everyone would

get along and have places to live and enough food to eat

* YOUR IDEA OF EXERCISE: I walk my dog Buddy every morning at least a

mile or more

* THE THING YOU DISLIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR APPEARANCE: At this stage of my

life, I’ve learned to be content with the package God gave me

* I HAVE A DREAM THAT: I would win the lottery (when I remember to play)

and I could travel anywhere I wanted to go

* PHONE WHERE PEOPLE CAN REACH YOU: (949) 515-1692