MBNA Monument Matters
MBNA Monument Matters
Monument Builders of North America MBNA
Tradition Doesn’t Mean Standing Still: Sunburst Memorials Builds for the Next Century
31 minutes Posted Jul 28, 2026 at 1:55 pm.
Monument Matters
Sunburst Memorial's Move Into New Headquarters and Production Facility
How Big Is Sunburst Memorials?
Building a new plant in Minnesota
What Lean Manufacturing Looks Like in a Monument Shop
Questions about redundancy in the monument industry
Sunburst Industries: 100% Employee Owned
What feedback from employees has had the biggest impact on the final facility
The New Granite Plant's new facility
Exploring a Production Expansion with Lean
Continuous Improvement in Manufacturing
Monument Matters
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Show notes
In this episode of Monument Matters, host Mike Johns 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.