International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated every year on March 8, is a tribute to the achievements of women in all areas of life, including social, economic, cultural, and political spheres. IWD serves as a pivotal platform for engaging with communities to reflect on progress and commit to positive action.
IWD boasts a rich history of collective action, with numerous groups, countries, and organizations contributing to its growth. Today, it is a globally recognized event, celebrated in diverse ways worldwide. The theme for the 2025 campaign is “Accelerate Action,” which highlights the increased momentum in tackling the barriers and biases women confront in both personal and professional spaces.
This year, Belvac is celebrating IWD by shining a spotlight on our dedicated global team of female contributors. We spoke with eight colleagues from nearly all of Belvac’s business units to share their stories with you.
Patricia Clary, Director Global Engineering
Patricia directs Belvac’s global engineering efforts, ensuring consistency and quality across all product lines. She leads a global team of 21, managing the Standard Product, Electrical, and New Product engineering teams. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, home improvement projects, her cat, and spending time at the beach.
Why did you choose to pursue your profession or field?
During my time in High School, I was able to take Drafting courses and fell in love with it’s precision and accuracy. This experience solidified my decision to pursue Mechanical Engineering.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
International Women’s Day means uplifting and celebrating the women in our lives. It serves as a reminder to acknowledge the unique hardships women face in male dominated spaces.
Kristie Terrell, HR Manager
Kristie supports Belvac’s Human Resources team by assisting employees, administering benefits, maintaining HR Central, recruiting for open positions, and providing assistance with performance documents. She has been with Belvac since 2011, progressively growing and expanding her career. Kristie is married with two children, a daughter that is 23 and a son that is 20.
What advice would you give to young women who want to make a difference?
I would advise young women to have a strong work ethic and integrity. With these two attributes, the sky is the limit.
This year’s IWD theme is #AccelerateAction, what does this mean to you?
This theme is powerful to me. It means if we work hard and push through adversity, action will happen. One of my favorite quotes is “life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” We cannot wait for difficult times to pass, we need to cope and keep moving towards the goals.
Una Jiang, Supply Chain Supervisor
Una works with Belvac’s China team as a Supply Chain Supervisor. She oversees a team based in Suzhou who focus on procuring parts and maintaining stock levels for our world-class equipment in the region.
What is your proudest achievement in your career?
My proudest achievement in my career so far has been supporting my team and helping them grow personally and professionally.
Why is celebrating International Women’s Day important?
International Women’s Day is important to celebrate as women historically have faced many hardships. When I was young, many of my female friends were forced to drop out of school so their male siblings could have a better chance.
Fran Hoang, Quality Systems Manager
Fran is the Quality Systems Manager for Belvac. She works across various functions within the organization for internal and external audits. She also maintains Belvac’s Quality Management System and champions the continuous improvement program. In her free time Fran enjoys Karate, Taekwondo and spending time with her husband and two children.
What advice would you give to young women who want to make a difference?
Mileva Marić, Albert Einstein’s first wife. She was a brilliant physicist and mathematician who studied at the Zurich Polytechnic, the only women in her year. Her intellectual partnership with Einstein during their early years has sparked discussions about her possible contributions to Einstein’s groundbreaking theories. I would like to explore her perspective on this debate and honor her contributions to science.
If you could have dinner with any inspirational woman, who would it be and why?
Start by following your passion and listening to your heart to understand what truly matters to you. Let your passion guide you and believe in your ability to bring about change. Don’t allow inner doubt or external forces derail your ambitions and goals. Surround yourself with people who support and inspire you. Lastly, remember that making a difference isn’t always about grand gestures; even the smallest actions can have a ripple effect.
Beth Erwin, Global Inventory Analyst
Beth supports Belvac’s global sourcing and planning efforts as the Global Inventory Analyst. She has been with Belvac for over 6 years supporting numerous projects that help improve inventory systems and processes. She graduated from NC State’s business school and spent a majority of her career in operations roles.
What advice would you give to young women who want to make a difference?
I would advise all young people in a business-related field that problem solving takes good eyes, ears, and foresight. Focus on seeing, listening, and asking questions instead of making assumptions. This will help you visualize impacts and anticipate needs.
Why is celebrating International Women’s Day important?
I am grateful for Belvac, and the other places I have worked, that my contributions are celebrated regularly like anyone else’s. I realize that not all women in the world have had this same experience. I am hopeful it becomes a reality for all, including my two teen daughters.
Jana Novackova, Financial Controller Europe
Jana oversees Belvac Europe’s Finance team as the Financial Controller. She leads a team of four across two countries, providing a range of financial and administrative responsibilities for our business operations in the region. In her free time Jana enjoys relaxing with her family and friends, practicing yoga, working in her garden, and painting.
Why is celebrating International Women’s Day important?
It’s important to highlight the ability of women to equally take on various roles, both in the work and social spheres. Women have a different approach to many issues than men. The right combination of different approaches gives companies greater opportunities and flexibility in accepting new challenges.
What is the most important advice you have received?
Ten years ago, I received some advice from a Czech businessman that has stuck with me. Nothing created will remain perfect, unless you give a constant effort, things will inevitably start to get worse. This applies to all areas of life – our relationships, our abilities, our businesses, our homes, and our health.
Deanna Thompson, Director Global Sourcing and Planning
Deanna leads Belvac’s Sourcing and Planning efforts, managing a team of 18 worldwide. Deanna’s efforts are integral to the success of Belvac, her team serves a global network of customers ensuring their productivity is maintained with quality OEM spare parts strategically stocked around the world. Deanna joined Belvac in 2012 and has held her current role for nearly three years.
Why did you choose your profession?
I got into Purchasing by accident. I was doing Scheduling and Inside Sales for a manufacturing company who lost their Purchaser. I was then offered the Purchasing role. I am thankful the General Manager had the foresight to move me into that role, because Supply Chain has truly been a great fit for me.
What is the most important advice you have received?
The best advice I’ve been given is to not focus on the size of your paycheck, but rather focus on working hard, learning as much as possible, and volunteering to take on work that others wouldn’t. If you do this, success will come even if it’s not as soon as you would like.
Tracy Hu, Project Manager
Tracy manages projects for our ARC Pacific team. She oversees a team of two managing projects and services all over the world for Belvac’s Can Washers and Ovens. Tracy has been with ARC for over seven years and enjoys working with customers to ensure the highest level of service. Outside of work, she likes to spend time with her two children and watching them grow.
Who is the most influential woman to you?
Marie Curie is an influential woman I greatly admire. She broke down gender barriers and inspired countless women to pursue careers in science. Her findings were foundational for radiation therapy which was a significant advancement for the medical industry.
Why did you choose your profession?
In high school, not many young girls chose to study physics. I thought that there is no reason why I shouldn’t and decided to pursue it. The longer I have spent in the engineering field the more my passion for it has grown.