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IN 25 WORDS OR LESS
That’s it. Leaders and influencers, who are usually given the floor for as long as they like, are limited here to condensed responses (no more than 25 words) that get straight to the point.
“Never let them see you sweat,” focus on the job at hand. Speak about your own accomplishments, but avoid self-absorption. Equal doses of humility/prowess are winning combinations.
THE BASICS
Name: Julius Robinson
Title: Managing Director and Group Head of Corporate Social Responsibility for the Americas
Company: MUFG Union Bank • San Francisco, CA
Age: 60s • Status: Single • Kids: Yes
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, CA • Raised: Los Angeles, CA
Contact/Follow: LinkedIn
Professional Background: Julius has 40 years of banking experience in a number of financial service disciplines, including lending, leadership, Operations and affluent markets philanthropy and community economic development. In his current position, Julius serves as Managing Director and Head of MUFG Union Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility group for the Americas, which also includes oversight of its supplier diversity program.
Additional Organizations: Boards: MoAD, CSU Monterey School Business Advisory Board, Students Rising Above; Operation HOPE Northwestern Region (Chair): BABUF, Board of Trustees for Alliant University (fmr Chair), UNCF (exec committee).
What achievement or position are you most known for? Crafting of Union Bank’s 5yr community service action plan impacting low/moderate income communities. Stewardship of the Foundation’s contribution of $100 million+ to charity supporting the community.
WORK
Job(s) held that is most unlike what I currently do now: Bagged groceries; internship in public relations for Rockwell international the builder of the first US space shuttle; sold advertising for a local radio station.
Field: Banking and Financial Services
Yrs of Experience: 40
What it does and what I do: A variety of traditional banking services.
Current Big Project: Stewardship of CRA performance examination, development of a National CRA Strategic Plan, reevaluating charitable priorities of our foundation and revamping of supplier diversity initiatives/goals.
Staffing/Resource Needs: Employees, clients and friends asked to join us in community outreach activities efforts that make a difference in the communities where we live and work.
PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Significant Challenge: Strengthening the bank’s brand in an environment where banks in general have cultivated a tarnished reputation for sensitivity to the community.
Significant Mistake/Regret: Lessons more important than mistakes. Mistakes often come from times when you are pushing the envelope for the “extra” that helps you achieve your goal.
Significant Accomplishment: Leading bank’s largest retail/branch network geographic region. Reaching EVP and Managing Director. Heading CSR w/expanded responsibilities for all of the Americas: Northern, Central and South.
Biggest Strength(s): Leadership, Vision and Consensus Building
Biggest Weakness(es): Not have the resources need to create all the programs need by our community to effect positive economic change.
Career Advice: “Never let them see you sweat,” focus on the job at hand. Speak about your own accomplishments, but avoid self-absorption. Equal doses of humility/prowess are winning combinations.
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE
Significant Challenge: Dyslexia – hampers reading/writing, but has compelled me to find effective solutions and workarounds to compensate and still excel personally and professionally.
Significant Accomplishment: The birth of my son and the mentorship of my stepson. These two boys are singularly the shiny objects in my life.
Life Advice: Find quality/balance in your life, equal measures of professional achievement/quality in your relationships. Laugh! Love with authenticity and work to achieve self-satisfaction. Set high standards.
Trait(s) most admired in others: Vision (think Jobs), strategic thinking (think Musk), tenacity (think Nelson Mandela), courage (think Muhammed Ali), the heart of a lion and the soul of Saint.
Among several global issues of deep concern, one(s) that stands out to me: Current political environment in presidential races. Loss of deeply held values about social justice, discrimination and isolationism. We must hold ourselves to a higher standard.
Some causes/organizations I support: Educational opportunities for youth. Getting more kids to graduate and pursue an undergraduate degree is a vitally important building block to solid economic equality.
Some of my most-admired people (excluding parents): Martin Luther King (social justice acumen and commitment to the underserved), Pope Francis (reformist views), Pres. Obama (efforts to unite the U.S./world), Malcolm Gladwell (expansive views).
LIFESTYLE
Hours of “personal” downtime/week: Too few
Favorite activity(s) in my personal downtime: Watching sports: basketball, football, tennis, track and field.
Some of my favorite local hangouts: Yoshi’s, the SF jazz Center, and The District when I am with friends.
Some of my favorite TV shows: I like gritty crime dramas i.e. Rouge, Homeland; Power and Billions.
What news outlets or media sources do you most rely on?: Television: CBS Morning News (I record it), CNN Anderson Cooper. Radio: NPR
Favorite Vacation Spot(s): Hawaii
Place(s) I would like to visit: Egypt, Greece
Favorite Pastime/Hobby(s): I’m a builder, so I always have some kind of DIY Hm Improvement project going on.
Favorite Book(s): “Your Own Terms”, “Force for Good”, “The Tipping Point”, “The Everything Store”, “Becoming Steve Jobs”.
Something about me that may surprise you: That I would spend as much time as I could in my workshop building, create and fixing things.
RELATED ARTICLES
• MUFG Union Bank Community Service Action Plan
• Union Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility Report
• Union Bank Opens Fifth High School Branch and First with El Monte Union High School District at Mountain View High School
