DTCC is proud to congratulate Gerry Reyes, Corporate Social Responsibility Senior Associate, and Erin Felt, Data Stewardship Team Associate Director, for being recognized as Working Parents of the Year by Seramount.
Reyes, on behalf of DTCC, was awarded for the 2022 Best Companies for Dads recognition – the award focuses on companies that have inclusive benefits for families, including paid gender-neutral parental leave, paid emergency childcare, bereavement leave after a partner/spouse miscarriage and more.
Gerry Reyes
'I’m still in shock but feel grateful and honored to receive the working Dad of the year award. I was nominated by my team member Steven. Steven scheduled an emergency on a Friday afternoon, and my reaction was 'oh no'. My manager along with Steven both joined the call and Steven told me the great news, that DTCC had won a '100 of the Best Company' for both working Mom’s and Dad’s, and that it was me who had won the award for Dad of the year.
I’m a proud father of two children, my daughter Ella who is going to be nine soon, and a four-month-old son, Mateo. On top of working a full-time job at DTCC and a part-time job on the side (and helping my wife with our newborn baby), I also coach my daughter’s softball team, am a ‘dance dad’, and involved in my fraternity Alumni Network and volunteering. I find a way to make it all happen with a great support system and time management.
DTCC is a company that provides a great work life balance. My team (DTMA – Diverse Talent Management Advancement) is very supportive.
It’s not easy being a working parent. My advice is to find the right balance between work and family. Have those conversations with your team and leadership. There will be times when it’s not 50/50, but it’s okay, make the time you have worth it.'
Felt, on behalf of DTCC, was awarded the 2022 100 Best Companies recognition – the award focuses on companies who provide inclusive benefits for families, including paid gender-neutral parental leave, phase-back programs, bereavement leave after miscarriage, reimbursement for fertility expenses, and increased mental health benefits for employees.
Erin Felt
I was shocked, humbled, but mostly grateful to receive the working mom of the year award (100 Best Company) for DTCC in partnership with Seramount. When I read about the submission from one of my peers, about why they thought I deserved consideration, I was blown away.
Anyone at DTCC who has had a conversation at length with me, knows I have five kids, and are aware that four of the five kids are my nephews and niece that I adopted. The reason I am so open and honest, is because of my work peers, here at DTCC, have been a part of the journey and the entire process.
I was in Underwriting Operations when I initially found out my two nephews needed a home, and the entire team was supportive. In fact, all of Operations made me feel so welcomed, even though my family situation was becoming complicated overnight. I was also able to take advantage of maternity/parental leave for the adoption. I was in Underwriting when I adopted the next two children, and again, was able to take maternity/parental leave, and had the support of my team.
Throughout this journey, I never felt my situation with the kids was hindering my career. The four children we adopted have varying special needs, and I have also found a lot of support/helpful resources with DTCC’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), especially WINS.
As I continue my career at DTCC, and watch my children grow and thrive, my advice to all the working parents here is to:
- Utilize the resources our company makes available.
- Network with other parents throughout the organizations different ERGs, clubs, and events. I have learned so much from the parents here at DTCC, whether it was on how to balance career and kids, how to use our Bright Horizons emergency care, or something as simple as how to handle technology usage at home.
I am so grateful to have met so many co-workers who have been supportive and have helped make our decision to adopt four special needs children, less challenging than we thought it would be. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of challenges, but having the people and policies here at DTCC have eased some of the pressures we (my husband and I), find ourselves facing as parents.
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