Avionics News January 2013 - 41

What’s the corporate culture at DAC?
We’ve always been based in the original house that Mike and Terry established, so it’s very much a family environment. We added the warehouse facility as we have grown. The company is friendly, easy-going and laid back. It’s an enjoyable work environment. As part of the Greenwich AeroGroup, there’s more of a corporate culture as we incorporate policies and procedures. We have approximately 30 employees and very little turnover, so everyone knows each other well. We are always looking for new products, trying to identify new technologies; things that will help us grow.

I listened, the clearer it became. Like everywhere these days, English is common on the technical side. In Latin America, you don’t really push business. It’s more about friendships and relationships, which you must establish before Latin Americans are comfortable doing business. Most people have a tendency to jump into business at a dinner, but it’s not appropriate in Latin America. The meals are more European. Dinner is a social evening, not just an hour. To be honest, I always thought Australia and New Zealand were about friendships, also.

Where did you grow up?
I was born in Puerto Rico, in a small city named Comerio. My father was in the U.S. military, so we moved every three years growing up. I spent time in Rhode Island and Mississippi. We lived in Guantanamo during the Bay of Pigs invasion. I have a vague memory of that. I was 6 years old, and I remember being evacuated with other families. In the ninth grade, we moved back to Puerto Rico. My father was stationed at Roosevelt Roads Naval Base where I went to high school. I graduated from the University of Dayton.

ball and running around to games or tournaments. I do not like to miss any of their events. My oldest is Frankie, and he is a first-year college student at Texas State in San Marcos. He was excited to go away to college and live away from home. He is studying engineering and is good in math. Benjamin is a high school senior, and my youngest son, Daniel, is in the eighth grade. Benjamin is into music and computers, and he plays soccer. Daniel is a baseball player and active in drama. I’ve been married to Cindy for 20 years. She’s an RN and works NICU with premature babies.

Are Mike and Terry still active in the company?
Terry retired four years ago, so I took Terry’s position when he retired. Mike is still active and is the president.

Do you have any personal interests or hobbies?
I used to be a big golfer, and I still play from time to time. I also used to water ski, but now I drive the boat for the kids to ski.

You must know all the protocol of doing business in different countries and speaking different languages. Is that difficult for you?
In terms of language, there is lots of variation in Spanish. As you move to states close to Argentina, for example, it sounds closer to Spanish and is easier to understand than Portuguese. When I first heard Portuguese, it sounded completely foreign to me, but the more

What does your crystal ball say for the future?
Things are going to get better in aviation. We’ve been through such a down time. DAC will continue to grow as we find new technologies and products. We have a good team of people, and the aviation industry will eventually turn up. It may not return to what it was a few years ago, but we’ll see an upturn. q To learn more about DAC International, visit www.dacint.com.
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When you’re not working, what do you do?
I have three boys, and I spend time with all their activities: soccer, base-

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Avionics News January 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News January 2013