Jim Cavale, VP operations & franchise development

I arrived at ITF Homewood in February 2010... Not as a staff member, but actually as one of ITF's first clients!

Growing up in Syracuse, New York, my athletic career led me to Alabama in 2002, when I accepted a baseball scholarship to the University of Montevallo (UM).

After graduating with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from UM in 2005, I decided to stay in Alabama, moving up to Birmingham to start J.Anthony Productions, LLC. J.Anthony Productions provides online video production solutions for a long list of small college athletic programs via The Gulf South Conference, the NCAA's premier Division II league.

I also began broadcasting live sporting events for regional television networks like Comcast SportsNet and Cox Sports Television, as well as doing work nationally for ESPNU.

In 2008, I raised angel investor money needed to launch Eporro.com, a BETA website that allowed high school student-athletes to build Recruit Profiles with their highlight videos and academic transcripts. More than 30 high schools across Alabama paid to be a part of the 2008-09 BETA test, and countless student-athletes built Recruit Profiles to successfully gain the collegiate exposure they needed to get a college scholarship.

The success of Eporro's BETA testing led to the creation of NextSpex.com in 2010, and statewide partnerships with the Alabama and Lousiana High School Athletic Associations, to provide the service at no cost for high school student-athletes in both states. I began working with Forrest Walden and ITF, through a video production deal that had J.Anthony Productions put together the majority of the videos on IronTribeFitness.com website(s). And the rest is history...

In 2010, as ITF grew rapidly, my intrigue led to further involvement, as I traveled to Atlanta to get my CrossFit L-1 certification, and began working part-time for ITF in August 2010, learning the entire business, from coaching to management, which lead to the opportunity to open up the 2nd-EVER ITF location on Highway 280, on January 24, 2011!

Upon reaching the 100 client mark, I trained our staff to manage the location and am now a partner with Forrest in our corporate offices.

As the Vice President for Operations & Franchise Development, I work day-in, day-out on our objective of growing this business to more locations, so that we can help more people!

It's an amazing blessing from the Lord God above, to have the opportunity to work with such an amazing leader, team and overall business.

My wife Yazmin has been right along my side, wodding with me since ITF Homewood opened in February 2010. And our nine-year-old daughter Savanah, is a Tribe member as well, participating in the Tribe Kids program.

I not only get all my passion and motivation from these two wonderful gifts that God has put in my life, but also our new baby girl Sofia, who we were blessed with just this past September 19th (2011)! Thanks so much for visiting our website and I hope I get the opportunity to meet you very soon!

Karen Florence, Director of HR & Special Projects

I was born and raised right here in the Heart of Dixie – Southern girl through and through!

I grew up in the small town of Helena and loved every minute of it, which is probably why I love that same close-net feeling of the Tribe so much.

Upon graduating high school I traded one small town for another – Auburn, Alabama (War Eagle!)

After college I worked for a local organization for abused women and children. The non-profit field is a very hard industry to work in, and I take my hat off to those of you who do. My position was so very rewarding, but I also had no room for growth.

After being there for over a year- I decided I would pursue a ‘normal’ 8- 5 job hoping to figure out my life plan. In 2007 working for a financial planning firm, where my OCD in organization and my obsession with spreadsheets came in handy. I was there for 4 years and had moved up the ladder as far as I could go- cue boredom.

Back track a year, and insert Luan in my life and flipping it upside down with the CrossFit and Paleo lifestyle. I was sold. I had to find my place on the Iron Tribe team. Naturally, I came running in the door the day Iron Tribe opened and was ready for whatever it had in store. As enthusiastic as I was, I still had no idea how MUCH Iron Tribe had to offer!

Iron Tribe was open for a year before the capacity grew to be too much for just a few people to handle and still continue to grow at the rapid rate we have all been a part of. It was February of 2011 when I first came on bored filling an administration role at the Iron Tribe Homewood location. After 3 months here Forrest promoted me to the Homewood Manager. I was blown away and continue to be amazed by how much goes on behind the scenes in order to provide the best experience for every athlete who walks in our doors.

It didn’t take long before my passion became wanting to help Forrest produce a system to help spread this program to the masses keeping the quality intact.

In 2012 I will be working for the corporate office helping develop systems alongside Forrest and Jim, to teach future Iron Tribe managers how to provide the quality of service we take such pride in!

My passion for helping people and my OCD organization skills have come together and I have found myself on the path of my life long career in helping to grow the Tribe. We are always looking to improve!

I look forward to meeting you soon, in the meantime let me know if there is ever something we can do better!

Luan Nguyen, Director of Training

I was born in South Vietnam where my parents and I fled from in search of better opportunities and quality of life after the fall of Saigon. With hopes of the American Dream, we set sail into the South China Sea in the dark of the night. (the story of our escape is one that I am still amazed by and left feeling so blessed and grateful.

If you ever want to hear it, just let me know. We will grab dinner together!)

We finally made it to Mobile, AL where my two younger sisters and parents still reside.

After graduating in Excersise Science/Sports Medicine from the Univ of South Alabama, I ventured north to Birmingham and now call it home. Helping others through fitness/coaching began early for me with my kickboxing career in my teens and early 20s, then onto my college years as an athletic trainer for 2 colleges, and then onto massage therapy school where I specialized in Sports Massage and eventually migrated to a career as a trainer/coach here in Birmingham for the past 9 years.

I've been told that if you do what you love, it never feels like work. Teaching Crossfit allows me to honestly say that I am a believer of that! A few years ago, when I got word about the Crossfit programming, I was so anxious to try it. How bad could a 15 minute workout be? After peeling myself off from the floor and looking at my poor score on the workout (Fight Gone Bad), I knew I had to really look at my own personal fitness program and all of its holes and all of my weaknesses.

Needless to say, I never turned back. I immediately dove into the certifications and became the first Level2 Crossfit Coach in Alabama. Ive never witnessed, tested, or experienced a program such as Crossfit and its ability to not only create fitter athletes but to powerfully change lives and a supportive community.

As the Director of Training for Iron Tribe Fitness, I get the opportunity to create a product that is safe, effective and fun! I work with the best coaches in the world and help put together events that allows our members to unite and bond through competitions, goal setting and fund raisers!

Our growing community is like no other and any chance to unite them is incredible. I also get to be a small part of an awesome team whose vision is to teach Crossfit and the Paleo Diet to as many people as possible. To spread and expand the Iron Tribe Fitness family on a global scale!

I feel blessed to be able to teach and coach the aspects of this business and its products to anyone that is willing to listen!