Eder is our Quality Assurance Manager and one of my most trusted friends. She’s serious, refined, and, admittedly, a little bit fierce. We have an inside joke that Eder is the friend who always needs to be reminded to “fix her face.” What you see is exactly what you get with her. If you want honest, no-sugar-coating feedback, she’s your person. I say this not to poke fun, but to appreciate her because sometimes we all need that one friend who tells it like it is, who calls us out when needed, and helps set things right, you know? That kind of tough love we all need.
Eder and I live in two different worlds – speed versus quality. As a marketer, I want to launch fast and highlight every product feature. As a QA manager, she takes her time to test and make sure everything works perfectly. While I focus on customer perception and messaging, she focuses on performance and standards. What looks great to me may not pass her quality tests. I might promise features she won’t yet approve of.
That’s what made me want to know this side of her, and understand how, even from two opposite sides, our worlds ultimately complement each other.
When you talk to Eder about quality, you immediately realize that it’s not just her job; it’s her discipline, and her mindset. She’s been in the QA field since 1996, and that experience shows in every sentence she says. Her background is as solid as it gets: decades of managing quality systems, guiding teams through audits, and working under international standards like ISO, GMP, and FDA.
What shaped her most, though, was a mix of two work cultures. “My QA philosophy was influenced by both Japanese and American work ethics,” she shared. “From Japan, I learned precision, discipline, and continuous improvement; from the U.S., I learned innovation and customer focus.” The result? A balanced, and flexible approach. Rigorous when it needs to be, but always adaptable.
Armed with a degree in Industrial Engineering, Eder brings systems thinking into everything she does. For her, quality isn’t just about compliance, it’s about improvement. “I like seeing how small adjustments can lead to more efficient, consistent results,” she explained. It’s this mindset that’s helped TRI strengthen its quality systems and pass multiple audits with flying colors over the years.
Eder has been TRI’s QA Manager for a decade now, catching the details most of us wouldn’t notice, and making sure every first aid kit we produce meets the highest standards. Her days are a mix of reviews, audits, team coaching, and problem-solving. “A typical day could involve anything from checking inspection reports to addressing non-conformities,” she said. “There’s always something new, but that’s what keeps it interesting.”
When asked how the QA team fits into the process of creating first aid kits, her answer was simple but powerful: “We’re the stewards of quality.” From inspecting incoming materials to checking final packaging, her team ensures that what leaves the facility is something people can trust in emergencies. “These kits aren’t just products,” she said, “they’re tools people rely on when it matters most. That responsibility motivates us to maintain the highest standards every day.”
And it shows. Every kit undergoes a detailed process before earning approval. The QA team verifies that each component matches product specs, checks supplier compliance, inspects assembly integrity, and tests functionality where needed. “We document everything,” Eder added, “so that any issue can be traced, understood, and resolved before release.”
Of course, challenges are part of the job. One of her biggest? Building a true quality culture. “It’s not just about checking boxes,” she admitted. “It’s about helping everyone understand why following the process matters.” Over time, she’s led by example, showing that discipline in documentation and consistency in checks prevent mistakes that could have real consequences for end users.
She’s also not afraid to stand her ground when quality is at stake. She recalled a time when her team discovered a serious defect that could have affected safety. “Convincing management to take action wasn’t easy, it meant delays and extra costs,” she said. “But we stood firm, and in the end, that decision protected customers and strengthened our credibility.”
That courage and commitment are part of what make Eder’s leadership so effective. “Quality isn’t negotiable,” she emphasized. “It’s a responsibility we carry for every person who might someday open one of our kits in an emergency.”
Despite the seriousness of her work, Eder’s humor still shines through. When asked about the weirdest thing she’s ever found during inspection, she laughed: “A dead baby insect hiding in the outer case, definitely not on the approved contents list!” And if a first aid kit could talk? “It would probably say, ‘These folks don’t let anything slip by me, I’m the most pampered, double-checked kit in the building!’”
Her team dynamic reflects that same mix of seriousness and lightness. “We hold each other accountable but also support one another. Everyone brings a strength in documentation, attention to detail, or process discipline, and we share that. We don’t just enforce quality; we live it together.”
Looking ahead, Eder sees QA evolving alongside consumer expectations. “People are more health-conscious now,” she said. “It’s not enough to meet standards, we also need to build trust through transparency, sustainability, and clear labeling.”
And if she could sum up her QA philosophy in one line? “Quality is not just an act of inspection, but a culture of responsibility built on respect for the process.”
Before we ended, I couldn’t resist asking one last fun question: On a scale from “bandage” to “full ER,” how dramatic can a QA day get? Eder laughed. “Most days are ‘bandage’, steady and routine. But sometimes, when deadlines and quality concerns collide, it can feel like a mini-ER. In those moments, I’m the one who needs a checkup! But that’s also when our teamwork shines. We thrive under pressure.”
That’s Eder, composed, committed, and quietly fierce. She may not be the loudest in the room, but she’s the one making sure everything works as it should. And honestly, that’s the kind of person you want behind every product you trust.
Although Eder and I work in two very different worlds, our goals are the same, to give our customers products they can truly trust. At the end of the day, quality isn’t just her responsibility or my message to share, it’s the reflection of who we are as a company. And that, to me, is the greatest testimony we can give.
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