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Employee Spotlight: Edina — 28 Years of Getting It Right

July 10, 2026 - Connect Agency

Some people do their jobs well.

Others help raise the standard for everyone around them.

Edina is one of those people.

With more than 28 years at Sunoptic, she has become part of the company’s foundation, helping shape how people work, learn, and uphold quality.

It Started on the Production Floor

Edina’s Sunoptic story began in the cleaning department on the production floor.

It was a starting position, but it gave her a firsthand understanding of the work behind each

product and the details that can affect quality.

When she later moved into quality, that experience stayed with her. She understood the

responsibilities of production teams, where challenges could arise, and why clear standards mattered.

What kept her at Sunoptic wasn’t just the work. It was how she was treated.

“Leadership believed in me before I fully believed in myself.”

Edina speaks with genuine respect for Sunoptic’s President because of his vision, his belief in his

people, and the generosity he has shown inside and outside the organization.

Over the years, she has seen him support employees through some of life’s hardest moments.

That kind of leadership leaves a mark.

When the Work Became Personal

For Edina, quality is rooted in responsibility.

“Every fiber optic cable, every component, every inspection represents someone’s health—

someone’s loved one.”

That perspective is why details matter, consistency matters, and “good enough” is never the goal.

It also shapes how she works with others.

“We don’t just work side by side—we look out for each other.”

Trust, respect, and accountability are not separate from the work. They are part of how the work

gets done.

What 28 Years Teaches You About Quality

A lot has changed since Edina started.

Much of the work was once manual and paper-based. Today, Sunoptic’s ISO 13485-certified quality system supports stronger traceability, documentation, and process controls.

But for Edina, the biggest improvement is how experience, systems, and culture now work

together.

“Now it’s experience, strong systems, and a culture of quality working together.”

That combination helps drive consistency across the organization.

What Her Day Looks Like

Edina begins by reviewing the previous day for issues, trends, or small signs that something may

be off.

“It’s about catching things early—before they become something more.”

She also spends time mentoring others, helping them understand not only what to do, but why it matters.

That is especially important because quality is not owned by one department.

It is shared.

If something does not look right, Edina believes the right response is to stop and address it.

“I’ve stopped production before. It’s the right thing to do.”

What Quality Really Means

From the outside, quality can look like a checklist.

Edina sees it as problem-solving, anticipation, and prevention.

“Quality isn’t just following procedures. It’s anticipating what could go wrong—and making sure it doesn’t.”

For the products themselves, her expectation is clear:

“The light has to perform exactly as expected—consistent brightness, clear visibility.”

Specifications may confirm that a product passed, but confidence comes from the people and

processes behind it.

The Part She Is Most Proud Of

Edina is most proud of the people she has helped train and mentor.

She has watched team members grow from uncertain beginners into confident professionals who carry the same care and discipline forward.

“That’s one of the most rewarding parts.”

Because consistency does not come from one person.

It comes from a team that understands what is at stake.

What She Wants Surgeons to Know

Edina may not work in the operating room, but she knows her work ends up there.

“There’s a lot that happens before a product ever gets used—production, quality, engineering, all

working together.”

Her confidence comes from what she sees every day.

“I trust the product because I trust the people and the process behind it.”

That trust is earned through consistency.

Life Outside of Work

Outside of Sunoptic, Edina’s focus is family.

She is proud of her two children, both of whom work in the medical field, and she enjoys spending time outdoors and at the beach with her grandson.

That connection to family helps keep the purpose of the work grounded.

Behind every product is a patient, a procedure, and someone’s loved one.

Getting It Right

At Sunoptic, quality is more than a standard.

It is carried forward by people like Edina—people who pay attention to the details, speak up when something is not right, and help others understand why the work matters.

Over 28 years, Edina has helped build more than products.

She has helped strengthen a culture of trust, accountability, and pride in workmanship.

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