The Leeds Tribune | March 14, 2019

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LEEDS TRIBUNE THE ONLY SOURCE FOR LEEDS NEWS

March 14, 2019 | Volume 4, Issue 10

www.LeedsTribune.com

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Leeds wins growing tech firm’s HQ BY BLAKE ELLS Special to the Leeds Tribune

Kevin Sena has moved his IT company to Leeds, where he also lives.

Leeds has quietly become headquarters to a prominent tech firm that has 300 clients, a dozen employees and offices across the Southeast. Viperline Solutions Inc. moved from the Innovation Depot in downtown Birmingham to Leeds in the last few weeks and plans to officially introduce itself as part of the Leeds community when it hosts community leaders for a private ceremony in April. The ceremony will also celebrate its 10-year anniversary, its move

to the new space and plans to expand within its Leeds space. Viperline has expanded to include satellite offices in Huntsville, Mobile, Atlanta and Chattanooga, but the location at 1408 8th Street in Leeds now serves as its headquarters. Why Leeds? Owner and CEO Kevin Sena has called Leeds home for the last five years and decided it would also be a great place to grow his business. "The city couldn't have been better," Sena said. "Lee Barnes helped me find a property, and it was a perfect scenario. We couldn't be in a better situation than we are right now. The

city has embraced us with open arms." The space next to the Leeds City Schools Board of Education has been renovated and modernized. It houses a full training center, game room and lounge. Sena started the IT company 10 years ago in his home under the name Skyfire Technology, an ode to the Transformer that was Sena's favorite childhood toy. A larger company in California by the same name threatened a lawsuit that forced the name change, and he landed on the current name after securing the website. Sena was operating the business from

home while moonlighting at a furniture store and delivering mattresses to make ends meet. He had just one client that was based in Texas. "I am the CEO and owner," Sena said. "But I have a lot of titles. I'm the janitor. We all wear lots of hats around here. It's a small company." Three years ago, Sena had an opportunity to move the operation into Innovation Depot in downtown Birmingham. At the time, it was the second fastest growing company within Innovation Depot, an achievement reached without needing any money from investors.

The company's rapid growth soon became too much for the space they had at Innovation Depot. While Sena fondly recalls his time downtown, he also decided that the opportunity to search for a larger space was an opportunity to cut down on his commute. That’s how he landed in Leeds. Today, Viperline serves more than 300 clients. His staff includes a dozen employees, which he hopes to see grow with a call center in the neighboring space.

See LEEDS WINS, Page 2

New K-8 school to open in Leeds this fall BY KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA Leeds Tribune Staff There will be another educational option for the Leeds community this coming fall. The Grove School will open its doors for grades K-8 at their building on Parkway Drive. “We’re excited to offer the people of Leeds and surrounding areas a flexible and rigorous learning facility. In other words, if I have a kindergartener reading at a thirdgrade level, he can be in third grade level for reading. We're not going to hold them back to grades,” owner Mandy Fox said. “We have more groupings so they can get what they need and not stop learning while the rest of their classmates catch up.” Fox, a career educator, intends on creating a school that teaches academics and develops the particular interests of the students, so they are engaged and interested in learning. “In addition to opening the school this coming Fall, we're also doing summer camps that

are completely out of the box,” Mandy Fox said. “Camps you won't find anywhere else like filmmaking, cooking, cake decorating and others.” The Grove School building will also be utilized as a venue for those looking to hold events such as family-reunions, weddings, and other gatherings. Although education is what sings to Fox’s heart. “I have always loved the fact that the heart and vision for this project comes from kids. We will be teaching them academics and how to find their own gifts and talents in order to find their purpose and their passion, so they can in turn make this world a better place.” Fox says starting the school was propelled by her search for purpose, and also the joy in this purpose. She has been teaching elementary school, technology and gifted education for 21 years. She and husband Steve intend to share this purpose with their students. “When you see the smiles on the children’s face, you cannot help but smile and laugh and feel joyful. When you hear a lit-

Mandy and Steve Fox work on repairs to the building that will hold their new school called The Grove that is scheduled to open in the fall. tle kid giggle, you just find happiness,” Fox said. Students for The Grove will come from the Leeds area as

well as Moody, Irondale, and Shelby County. She is excited at the different ways of teaching the school will provide.

“A lot of times you'll find that some schools will let students choose what they want to learn. There's still a very specif-

ic path they're going to follow of academic standards, but within those standards, they can progress as they want,” Fox said.

Leeds High School students clean up Moton community BY KARIM SHAMSI-BASHA Leeds Tribune Staff High School students have many options to spend time on a Saturday, includ-

ing sleeping late, shopping, homework and hanging with friends. This past Saturday, Leeds High School students had another option: They partic-

ipated in a cleanup in the Moton Community. “We thought it would be a good idea to come out today and clean up in this community,” said Leeds High chemistry

teacher Desmond Parker, who helped organize the event. “We wanted to help and beautify this neighborhood.” The cleanup is good timing. Leeds residents have

Leeds High School students cleaned up Moton community as Leeds residents urge more enforcement on littering.

been clamoring for less litter around the city and even spoke before the City Council recently about improving enforcement of anti-littering laws.

Students spread out over the grassy area near the Moton Community Center and picked up the trash scattered

See LEEDS STUDENTS, Page 3


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