Profile of Team Member – Sandi Hodge

“Building an exceptional company is the result of building exceptional teams with exceptional people.”

Team 1 Plastics, a plastic injection molding company for the transportation industry, has been and continues to be a successful company because of our exceptional team. Today, we will introduce one of these exceptional people, Sandi Hodge, as we continue a series of articles profiling our Team Members.

Name: Sandi Hodge

Position Title: Engineering Specialist

Date of Hire: 5/8/2023

What is your favorite story or memory during your time working at Team 1?
While Sandi doesn’t point to a single standout story, her favorite part of working at Team 1 is the feeling of genuinely enjoying her job. “For me that is a good thing. I enjoy my job and working at Team 1 very much,” she says. Even though she lives in Hillsdale, about 45 minutes from Team 1, she’s never looked for something closer to home. When Rob, Team 1’s HR Manager, first reached out to her, she was hesitant about the long commute. To make it work, the company offered her a four-day workweek with longer hours, which turned out to be a perfect fit.

How has Team 1 helped your personal and/or professional development?
Professionally, Sandi has grown tremendously. After years as a layout tech, Team 1 gave her the opportunity to learn how to program from CAD. “They have allowed me to do that to the point where I would be lost without it,” she shares. The company has supported her training and even offered to cover classes if she ever wanted to take them. Personally, she’s grateful for her three-day weekends, which she describes as “totally awesome”—giving her time to handle things that a traditional five-day schedule wouldn’t allow.

What is your favorite aspect of working at Team 1?
Sandi values the trust and autonomy she’s been given. “When I come in, I know I don’t have someone standing over me, breathing over my shoulder, and telling me what to do every minute.” She praises her manager, Dave Seedorf, as a “wonderful boss” who gives her space while always being available for support. She also highlights her working relationship with Tim Kilcher, an Engineering Specialist who works alongside her in the Metrology Lab. “We complement each other,” she says. Their teamwork and mutual respect make the job even more rewarding. In her final thoughts, Sandi adds that Dave has been a truly understanding manager and that Team 1 genuinely takes care of its people.

What do you want to share about your life outside of Team 1?
Outside of work, Sandi is proud of raising two boys on her own—both of whom now have families of their own. She has seven grandchildren and one great-grandson, and cherishes her close-knit family. “I would be lost without them,” she says, especially since most of her extended family lives out of state.

Do you have any advice and/or encouragement for future Team 1 Team Members?
Sandi’s advice is simple but heartfelt: “Remember to enjoy that Team 1 cares about its employees. They will be there for you as long as you are there for them.”

Now for a totally random question:
What was your first job?
Fresh out of high school and not quite ready for college, Sandi began working at Mr. Frank & Sons, a sewing facility in Jonesville. She started in the coat shop, cutting and sewing coats together for two years. Her starting wage? $2.10 an hour.