Name: Laurie Ramsey
Where were you born? Eugene, Oregon
Tell us how you came to ABI Insurance. In 2021 I was looking for a new challenge and Jim Hisatomi was looking to fill a marketing specialist position. I interviewed for the job and got it.
How long have you worked at ABI Insurance? Three years.
How long have you worked in the insurance industry? This is my first job in the insurance industry.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you? After graduating from the University of Oregon, I moved to Southern California. I met my husband while training for a two-mile ocean swim.
Tell us about your family. My husband brought me back to Oregon. This is where we wanted to raise our two boys and be closer to family. In May our oldest son graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and is pursuing a medical degree. Our youngest son is studying chemical engineering at Oregon State.
When you go to a coffee shop, what do you order? A non-fat, decaf iced latte.
What is the scariest thing you have ever done? I got stuck in an elevator once.
It was a scorching hot night in Rome, Italy. I was riding an elevator down two floors with eight friends. The elevator stopped suddenly. Instantly, the air felt suffocating. A man heard us screaming and tried to help, but he only spoke French.
Luckily, my friend was fluent in French. The man told him to pull an overhead lever to open the door. When my friend finally got the door open, the elevator was halfway between two floors. We quickly crawled up and out. I learned something that night. If the sign says “capacity six” don’t shove eight people in an elevator.
What is your biggest accomplishment? Raising my family. My husband and I have enjoyed watching our two boys mature into thoughtful, caring men. We have always encouraged their love of learning and now both are pursuing their passions. It is exciting to see what they will do.
What was your favorite memory as a kid? As a kid growing up in Eugene I have many great memories. I am the oldest of three and my siblings and I were always surrounded by a lot of cousins and friends. We spent our summers water skiing, swimming, cycling, and exploring.
An important memory for me was when my mom noticed that U.S. distance runner, Steve Prefontaine had moved into a house near us. My friends and I would play hopscotch on the sidewalk and Prefontaine would run by with his dog, Lobo. He would always give us a nod and a “hi” as he jogged. As a third grader, I was in awe. Eugene was a great place to grow up.
