Tradition Doesn’t Mean Standing Still: Building for the Next Century

In this episode of Monument Matters, host Mike Johns, Jr., CM, AICA, talks with Jill Kampa, President of Sunburst Memorials, and Dylan Gertken, Director of Operations, about the company’s move from its 108-year-old facility into a new headquarters and production facility in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

The conversation explores how Sunburst approached growth, Lean Manufacturing, employee ownership, workflow redesign, safety, technology and culture.

Jill and Dylan also share practical lessons for other monument shops, including why process and people should come before equipment investments and why innovation can strengthen, rather than replace, the craftsmanship at the heart of memorialization.