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Colombia RPCV Paul Kram dies in Chicago



Mr. Kram spent three years in Sao Paolo, Brazil, working for Cargill Inc., and the experience, coupled with a two-year stint with the Peace Corps in Colombia, helped him become fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Colombia RPCV Paul Kram dies in Chicago

Paul Kram, commodities broker
Jul 23, 2005 - Chicago Sun-Times
For international commodities broker Paul L. Kram, goals that could be reached without effort weren't the type to pursue.

"Paul worked hard for everything he had in life," his older brother, Peter Kram, said.

For instance, Mr. Kram wasn't a natural swimmer, coaches and relatives said, but he swam competitively throughout high school and college and was the captain of his high school swim team. In recent years, he was also a successful marathon runner and triathlete.

Likewise, Mr. Kram devoted himself to learning several languages so that he could trade soybeans and other commodities at the Chicago Board of Trade for clients in Europe, Latin America and South America. Mr. Kram was also senior vice president of Fimat USA, a Paris-based brokerage firm.

Mr. Kram, of Wheaton, died of a heart attack July 7 while swimming at the Union League Club of Chicago, where he was training for a triathlon. He was 56.

Mr. Kram was born in Chicago and grew up in LaGrange Park as the third of 10 children. Both of his parents were skilled tennis players, which inspired Mr. Kram and his siblings to take an early interest in competitive sports, his younger sister Joan Kram said.

At Quigley South High School, where he graduated in 1967, Mr. Kram was a member of the tennis team in addition to being the swim team captain.

He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from Southern Illinois University in 1971, followed by a master's in agricultural economics from Michigan State University in 1976.

Mr. Kram was no less successful in his career as a broker, working for Lincoln Staley, Oppenheimer and Merrill Lynch before joining Fimat in 1996. Mr. Kram also spent three years in Sao Paolo, Brazil, working for Cargill Inc., and the experience, coupled with a two-year stint with the Peace Corps in Colombia, helped him become fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

But athletics were his passion.

Mr. Kram was active in many sports, including boxing, biking, rugby and horseback riding. In addition, he competed in several marathons and triathlons.

Other survivors include his three sons, Kevin, Christopher and Timothy; his mother, Nancy; four brothers, Edward, Philip, Daniel and Matthew Kram; a sister, Susan Kumler, and longtime companion Rosemarie Gullikson.

Services have been held.

When this story was posted in August 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:



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