Up Close -- Roger Kirwan

Nancy Cheever

Residence: Newport Coast

City of work: Newport Beach

When were you hired? Self-employed; elected chairman of the board of the

Orange County Performing Arts Center in July

Family status: Married, two grown children

Age: 57

Education: Economics major, Boston College

Past positions: Founder and president of Ganis Credit Corp.

Present occupation: President, Woodside Financial Services

Explanation of job in 15 words of less: Volunteer chairman of the board

at the Orange County Performing Arts Center; manage personal investments;

work with the whole community to maintain excellence at the Center

Your greatest professional achievement: Built Ganis into a $1.5 billion

per year specialty lender

Your greatest personal achievement: Being married 28 years

Your personal motto: If it is to be, it is up to me!

Your greatest extravagance: Owning two Harley-Davidsons

The best book you’ve read: Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”

The compact disc in your car right now: “Three Tenors in Concert”; Willie

Nelson’s “The City of New”

Your most treasured possession: See extravagance above

Word or phrase you most overuse: If it is to be, it is up to me!

What can you cook? A great dish of scrambled eggs

A habit you wish you could change: Noticing every detail

The college major you almost took: Pre-dental (they washed me out)

Your last charitable act: Went to Mass today to pray for a friend in need

As a child, what did schoolmates tease you about? I was fat

What is in your trunk right now? A set of golf clubs

The first thing that attracted you to your spouse or partner: The white

bikini she was wearing

The worst idea you ever had: Fighting the landowner on a leased piece of

property

What would you have been voted in high school: Most social

Who are your heroes? Pastor Bill McLaughlin of Our Lady Queen of Angels

Favorite escape from reality: Riding a motorcycle or playing golf

One thing you would change about the world if you could: Eliminate

prejudice and racism

Your idea of exercise: An hour in the gym

The thing you dislike most about your appearance: I am not the

35-year-old that I think I am

I have a dream that: There are things I can do that will make a

difference

Phone where people can reach you: Not available