Meet Jacqueline Ferrer, Executive Administrative Assistant (EA) in New York to the Beam Suntory CEO, Albert Baladi.
Jacqueline says that everything she does is for her children. "I’m a divorced, single mother of two and my kids are my motivation, both personally and professionally," she shares. "Being a single parent can be difficult at times, but when I think about how my dad instilled in me to never give up, even when life gets extremely tough, I keep striving and moving forward, which is something that I’ve passed on to my kids."
Learning from leaders
Growing up, Jacqueline's mother was sick, and her father was busy running his business to support their family, so that catapulted Jacqueline into a caretaker role at an early age.
"Through this experience, I learned how to be extremely organized and how to manage people’s day-to-day activities. That’s part of what led me to become an executive assistant (EA). I like taking care of people, and you can learn a lot from the leaders you support," explains Jacqueline.
Support from other administrative assistants
Jacqueline has only been at Beam Suntory a short time but has already learned a great deal. "Coming in as a new person supporting our CEO, Albert Baladi, in an industry I was not familiar with was intimidating at first. But the support I get from the other administrative assistants, and from Albert himself, has been invaluable," she explains.
"In my time at Beam Suntory, I’ve been able to get hands-on experiences that I never had before, from assisting in planning offsites for the Executive Leadership team to learning about the industry. This has allowed me to further develop my skillset and expand on my passion for people development."
Delivering on high expectations
"I think one of the biggest misconceptions about being an EA is that all you do is manage calendars. It’s so much more than that, and it’s a position where you not only have to be personable, but also strategic and deliver on high expectations. Similarly, there are also a lot of misconceptions about being a single mother. I’m working to dispel them, and I’m proud of everything I’ve accomplished and will continue to strive for more – just as my dad taught me.”
Become a vital cog in the Beam Suntory machine
No matter what the role entails, all Beam Suntory colleagues are vital to the company's success.
Inspired by Jacqueline's career?
Search Beam Suntory jobs and apply.
Search jobs
Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.