When people think about Olea Kiosks, they often picture the sleek stainless steel, the intuitive touchscreens, or the innovative biometric integrations. But behind every kiosk that leaves our shop floor are the hands and minds of people who have spent years, in some decades, perfecting their craft at Olea. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, it’s time to honor the unsung heroes of kiosk manufacturing whose commitment, skill, and pride helped to build Olea into what it is today.
The Standards That Endure
Take the grinding and sanding department, for example. Anyone who’s walked our floor knows it’s the dirtiest, dustiest part of the building. Yet when the clock strikes 3:30, it’s also the cleanest. That’s because Reynaldo, who ran the department for decades, insisted on a standard of order and discipline. He drilled into his team that hoses get wrapped, tools put away, and workstations left spotless. Years after his retirement, the team he trained still carries that same discipline forward, proof that his influence outlasted his tenure. It’s the details that matter.
The Relentless Problem-Solver
With respect to kiosk devices and peripherals, Andson is a legend in his own right. Known for his ability to troubleshoot what others couldn’t, he has spent countless late nights ensuring projects succeed. From replicating NEC’s complex software across hundreds of kiosks to figuring out how to make Linux systems image properly, Andson simply wouldn’t quit until the solution was in hand. Customers have called Frank directly to say, “Your guy solved something my whole team couldn’t.” That kind of relentless drive doesn’t show up in marketing brochures, but it’s foundational to Olea’s reputation.
The Builder of Prototypes
Jesus is another name woven into the DNA of Olea. Starting out as a driver back in the trade show exhibit days, he moved through nearly every department including the woodshop, welding, grinding, press brake, laser cutting, and finally assembly. Today, he’s the one who builds all the prototypes, giving feedback to engineering and making sure designs can be brought to life on the factory floor. His fingerprints literally and figuratively are on generations of kiosks. When Olea talks about knowing kiosks inside and out, Jesus is the embodiment of that experience.
The Second Career That Became a Legacy
And then there’s Mike, Frank’s father-in-law. After retiring from Fedco, he joined Olea for what was supposed to be a second career, and he ended up staying for nearly two decades. Mike managed the assembly line, supported purchasing, and filled in wherever he was needed. He stayed late, came in on weekends, and never hesitated to help anywhere. In family businesses, hiring relatives can sometimes go either way. But Mike set the example of how it should be done: not with entitlement, but with humility and hard work. His contribution helped Olea transition from its trade show days into a full-scale kiosk manufacturer, stabilizing assembly during critical years of growth.
We recently lost Mike after a long battle with illness, and his absence is deeply felt. As Frank shared, “He was always exactly what you hope to get when family works with you—always diligent and always willing to roll up his sleeves and get it done. Everyone here at Olea loved Mike.” His coworkers turned out in force to honor him at his funeral, a testament to the impact he made not just on the business, but on the people who worked alongside him.
Mike will always be remembered at Olea not just as family, but as a friend, a colleague, and one of the unsung heroes whose spirit helped carry the company forward.
Growing With the Company
Not all of Olea’s unsung heroes of kiosk manufacturing worked on the shop floor. Some shaped the company in quieter but equally important ways. One of those people is Trish. She first came to Olea as a receptionist and a friendly voice answering phones and greeting visitors. But over time, her role grew alongside the company. She took on more responsibilities, eventually developing into Olea’s HR manager.
Trish’s story is a reminder that growth at Olea wasn’t just about machines or materials. It’s about people developing right along with the business. Her steady presence, adaptability, and willingness to step into new challenges helped build the supportive culture that employees rely on today.
More Than Machines
These stories, and many more like them, are reminders that Olea’s success was never just about machines or materials. It was about people. People who cared about doing things the right way, who held themselves to higher standards, and who poured a little bit of themselves into every kiosk.
A Legacy Worth Celebrating
As Olea marks 50 years, we honor not just the history of innovation and technology, but also the people who carried the torch. From Reynaldo’s spotless shop floors, to Andson’s unrelenting problem-solving, to Jesus’s prototype builds, to Mike’s second career of dedication, to Trish’s growth from receptionist to HR manager—these unsung heroes of kiosk manufacturing shaped the Olea legacy in ways that can’t always be measured but can always be felt.
Because in the end, it’s not just kiosks that Olea builds. It’s trust, quality, and a culture where people matter most. This 50th anniversary is especially dedicated to all those people, like Mike, whose legacy continues to live on in every kiosk we build.
