Quick Six with Engineering Sourcing Specialist Becki Dakan

From working parents to military veterans, GE Aerospace would not be the company it is today without its employees. We created Quick Six to celebrate our diverse talent by asking employees six questions that uncover the unique ways they contribute to GE Aerospace and the world.

In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, we sat down with Engineering Sourcing Specialist, Becki Dakan, for our latest Quick Six. Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Dakan has been part of GE Aerospace since 2008, working in a variety of different roles. In addition to her responsibilities as an Engineering Sourcing Specialist, she also serves as the administrator of the Process Governance Board, a group dedicated to maintaining GE Aerospace’s compliance, guidance and PROs documentation. Dakan has been involved with the Hispanic and Latino Alliance Employee Resource Group (HLA ERG) since she started at the company, which has had a profound impact on own life and community. 

Tell us a bit about your background. How did you first get involved with the Hispanic and Latino Alliance in Grand Rapids, and what inspired you to stay engaged?
I have been involved with HLA since Smiths Aerospace became part of GE Aerospace — I believe that was in 2008 or 2009. I have always loved sharing my culture and learning more about it. My family is just one generation removed from field workers — my mom and her siblings spent many years picking fruits and vegetables throughout Michigan. My mom and her sister have spoken twice at GE Aerospace about their experience growing up in the picking in the fields as young children, and it was very moving. I stay engaged because it’s familia. I’ve always loved that GE Aerospace continues to give me the opportunity to celebrate my culture. 

You’ve helped grow HLA from just a couple of active members into one of the most active ERGs on-site — what do you think made that growth possible?
Honestly, a shared love of food helped tremendously. I created events that I knew would be popular and would ask little of the attendees. One of the first events I organized was our very popular Guac & Rock Day. I brought in two molcajetes, purchased the ingredients for guacamole, and made guacamole in our cafeteria for anyone who stopped by the table. That event alone brought in around 80 distribution list sign-ups. After that, I vowed that every event would include food. I know my site — food is our motivator.

Another popular event we host every quarter is our Focus Country presentations. The leadership team selects a Hispanic country to highlight, and we try to find someone from that country — or someone who has traveled there — to give the presentation. Once we find our speaker, we work with the incredible staff in our cafeteria to curate a menu inspired by that country and then we serve it to the attendees of the event.  I love that we can learn about a Hispanic country – while eating the delicious food of that country.

You’ve described HLA as a family — what does that sense of community look like in action? And how has that shaped your experience at GE Aerospace?
Hispanics tend to see each other as family, even if we don’t know one another. At my site, many employees use the term familia, and I love that.

This year, I went through a sudden divorce after almost 30 years of marriage. It has been absolutely devastating. I’m usually a closed book and only show people the happy side, but I had to let a couple of people on my leadership team know what was going on. They were incredible and stepped in to help with some of the event planning while my world was crumbling. I know their roles in the company are already incredibly stressful and time-consuming, so for them to take on even more was generous and caring.

After a couple of weeks, I was still having a hard time concentrating on my day job, but I was starting to take back a little of my role in HLA. Event planning and budget management somehow helped my brain click back into concentration mode. Whenever I found myself struggling to focus on my day job, I would shift to HLA work. It calmed me, and then I was able to return to my daily work.

I’ve also been able to talk with my global HLA family about my circumstances. The support I’ve received is almost unbelievable. I feel deeply cared for and loved. I keep saying that I’m grateful, but I wish there were a more powerful word for what I feel for the HLA family.

For someone thinking about joining GE Aerospace, what would you want them to know?
GE Aerospace gives you the freedom to be yourself. GE also provides the opportunity to grow your career.  While this is a high-stress industry, I can see that GE Aerospace truly tries to support employees by offering incentives and benefits that help in our daily lives.

Our onsite concierge program is incredible. When I tell my friends who don’t work at GE Aerospace about it, they’re amazed that something like that is offered. Also, this year has been the hardest of my life. If it weren’t for GE Aerospace, I’m not sure how I would have made it through. The EAP did so much for me. My friends at work did so much for me. Through GE Aerospace and my coworkers, I was able to find my therapist, my lawyer, a financial specialist, my realtor, and a condo bylaw specialist. Honestly, I will be forever grateful to GE Aerospace.

What are you most proud of when you look at what the Grand Rapids HLA team has built together? There is a salsa competition soon (food not dancing), tell us about that.
We have had so many fun events that get people involved with our ERG. Most people know that if they attend one of our events, they’ll be greeted with good food and have a great time. We also have annual events that everyone looks forward to, like our Guac & Rock Day, the Salsa Competition, and our Focus Country Presentations. One year, we taught people how to make empanadas. We also tried teaching people how to make homemade tortillas.

Personally, I was especially proud that my family was able to come onsite and talk about their time as field workers — and to see how far our family has come.

What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you, and how do you celebrate it?
While I’m only half Hispanic — the other half is German — I identify more with my Hispanic side. It’s important to keep celebrating our culture.  It’s also important to keep learning about our history and traditions and to share those with each other.  We are welcoming to everyone.