Point of Pride with Every Bag
We spoke with Diana, Plant Director of our Haina, Dominican Republic facility, to share perspectives on our employees' connection to our products and her career trajectory. The Haina facility opened in 2012 and today has more than 900 employees. The IV bags made there are distributed globally and used throughout hospitals to help patients.
Q: What experiences prepared you to be a Plant Director?
Diana: I first came to Baxter in 1998 as an intern, while studying Industrial Engineering. After graduation, I joined Baxter and gained experience in varied roles that enabled me to develop my career, including Planning and Purchasing, Supplier Quality, Quality Engineering, Quality Operations and Quality Systems and management before becoming Plant Director in 2021.
Q: What is the most important part of your job?
Diana: The most important part of my job is managing 900 employees, all working to Salvar y Mantener Vidas (Save and Sustain Lives) as we say in Spanish, of patients around the world and contributing to the economic and social strength of our local community.
Q: How important are Baxter’s shift supervisors/operators and other plant employees to Baxter’s success? How do you help keep them focused on Baxter’s mission?
Diana: Everyone matters! Shift supervisors, operators, quality checks, material handlers, and many others are extremely important for Baxter’s success. We share stories about our employees and their families using our products - to help employees understand the connection between what they do and Saving and Sustaining lives.
Q: In a field dominated by men in the past at the leadership level, tells us about the challenges you faced. How important is diversity, equity & inclusion in your plant’s environment?
Diana: I think Baxter does an excellent job of putting its values and policies into action about diversity, equity and inclusion. In Integrated Supply Chain we have made progress in cultivating a culture that values and supports women.
Baxter provides an environment of security, professional and personal preparation, training, and opportunities for growth. I think my experience being promoted as a Site Director helps all our people see that we believe in what we say about inclusion and diversity.
I also believe that the greatest challenges to getting this role did not involve me being a woman. I was simply competing against other candidates and their experience and training, whoever they were.
Q: What's the most fulfilling part about working at Baxter?
Diana: The most fulfilling part about my job is being at a plant that manufactures products that Save and Sustain Lives. Every time we receive a testimonial from a patient it is a point of great pride to know that we were part of that critical moment and that we were able to help that person and their family at a critical moment in their lives.