fun abounds | Southern Texas Playground Company
Welcome to fun abounds! Serving your park and rec needs in Houston and Southeast Texas. We proudly represent commercial playground equipment by BCI Burke, Berliner Play Equipment, and ID Sculpture. We also carry site amenities by USA Shade, Rubber Designs, StayFit, Frog Furnishings, MyTCoat and Percussion Play. It is with great enthusiasm and passion that fun abounds was started in 2007 to further enhance the park and rec offerings in this area. Please call today and let us know how we can help with your project.
Meet our Playground Experts
Leigh Walden
President
It all started with a … swingset. 12 years later fun abounds is still serving Southern Texas’ park and rec needs, and owner, Leigh Walden, couldn’t be prouder of her company’s success. After Leigh’s husband experienced a layoff, she had no other choice but to help support her family. Emboldened by her daughter’s love of swinging tinged with necessity, Leigh started selling playgrounds. Almost instantly, what started as a necessity transformed into a passion for helping clients create playground memories filled with fun. As a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI), Leigh also prioritizes safety and functionality in every project.
Mike Giehl
Vice President of Sales
Mike has been in the park and rec business since 2009, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to fun abounds! When he’s not working, he loves spending time with his wife, son and the three pooches. Together, they like to hike in the hill country and enjoy the lakes. He has even been known to run through a sprinkler or two on those hot, Texas summer days!
Ellie Lykins
Project Manager
Ellie comes to us with a long line of exceptional customer-first experience; always excelling and most often has become the right-hand person to top execs. Her positive attitude and can-do mentality earn praise from all of us at fun abounds. She loves her dogs, Piper & Oakley, and her cat, Chester. She is currently planning her wedding for November 2022 with her fiancé, Seth. In her free time, Ellie enjoys spending time with friends and family, as well as fishing and traveling anywhere there is a beach.
Ruben Cardenas
Business Development Manager- Rio Grande Valley Territory
Ruben Cardenas is an experienced sales professional, communicator and innovator. He was born in the Rio Grande Valley. Ruben has a passion to help create engaging public destinations, with compelling designs, uncompromising safety, unique innovation and long lasting quality. When he is not working Ruben loves camping fishing or a beautiful day on the beach with his family.
Payton Palmer-Newton
Business Development Manager- Coastal Bend Territory
Payton Palmer Newton is a recreation enthusiast who possesses a BS in Exercise Science from Colorado State University – Pueblo and a MS in Recreation Administration from Texas State University. Payton has several years experience working in a number of roles in the recreation field including: athletics, outdoor recreation, event planning and guest services. Payton is passionate about the essential role that recreation plays in the lives of people of all ages and he is motivated to help develop playgrounds in a way that can contribute to lifelong memories for all families who visit them. When not working Payton enjoys watching sports, playing golf, traveling, and spending time with his friends and family.
Norman Cue
Business Development Manager - North Houston & Northwest Surrounding Areas
Norman is a lifelong learner and educator. His parents originally immigrated to the United States from Argentina and taught him to value hard work and discipline. He studied Spanish at Texas A&M University and became a teacher for many years. After receiving a master’s in educational leadership and an MBA, he left education to pursue Entrepreneurship. After 5 years of disconnecting with today’s youth, he decided to join the fun abounds team to once again put smiles on kids faces and be a part of the positive impact we can bring to children’s lives. In his spare time Norman enjoys spending time with his family, church service, being outdoors and watching sports.
Suzy Turner
Percussion Play Sales - ext. 1517
An experienced Rhythm Facilitator, Suzy Turner, is passionate about helping communities connect, engage and experience the powerful benefits of group music making. As a percussionist trained in multiple facilitation methods, Suzy has been performing + facilitating in the Austin area since 2008. With a strong foundation in the playground and fitness industry, Suzy brings a unique knowledge base to her role as Music + Community Specialist. Her experience allows her to assist organizations, schools and city leaders in creating resources to support and increase community engagement. When she’s not drumming in the community, you’ll likely find her playing outside somewhere! Suzy values time spent gettin’ sweaty in the Texas sunshine – hiking, biking and making music with family + friends in the fresh air!
Clint Copeland
Business Development Manager - South Houston and East Texas
Our newest member to the fun abounds family! With an extensive professional background in beverage, Clint adds a unique perspective in the market, a great attitude, and is our resident history buff. Clint holds an AA in Creative Writing from Navarro college and a BFA in Theatre from Sam Houston State University. Eat’em up Kats! Born and raised in the historic small town of Corsicana, Houston became home shortly after college. He has a hunting Labrador Retriever named Gus and spends his free time traveling, exploring museums, podcasting, reading, writing, hiking, camping, cooking, and playing music.
Laura Miranda
Office Manager
Laura comes to us with several years of experience in management, customer experience, and project management. She excels at keeping things neatly organized and offers a fresh perspective on office management. She is originally from El Paso, Texas and now calls Stafford, Texas home. She bring several connections that span this great state and will be a wonderful asset to our clientele. She is excited to expand her knowledge into new programs and processes to make sure our office is running in tip top shape. She is also currently working on her Six Sigma belts to expand her knowledge area into the logistics and planning arena. In her spare time she enjoys movies with her husband and teenage daughter. She also has quite the array of animals at home including 2 dogs, 8 cats, and a lizard. Her dream is to someday take a trip to Italy to see all of the Tuscan country side and bring new ideas into her own home.
Jaden White
Office Assistant
Jaden is new to the fun abounds team and is excited to learn all she can! She loves to constantly learn and put her best effort forward in every task she is given. Jaden values spending time with her family, her lizard Clemmy , and her cat Apollo. Jaden is continuing her education at Wharton County Junior College, and majoring in English.
fun abounds received an Eagle Award from Burke for over $2 million in Sales in 2019.
fun abounds received several sales awards at the Burke Awards Banquet in Kissimmee, Florida, January 2019.
fun abounds received a “Top Dealer” award by Burke in 2016.
fun abounds received an Eagle Award in 2018 from Burke.
fun abounds was named a “Top Dealer” by Burke in 2017.
Why our clients love fun abounds!
Check out this client testimonial about a project we completed in Brookshire, Texas. We pride ourselves in working with our clients to create customized and unique playgrounds the community can enjoy for years to come. At fun abounds we are proud to be a part of creating playground memories filled with fun!
Drone video from Decker Elementary playground in Austin, Texas!
fun abounds appreciated the opportunity to work with Manor ISD to help them create this incredible playground for students at Decker Elementary! We loved incorporating the client’s desires into a new playground that their students will love for many years to come! Check out this drone video captured by our sales representative Mike Giehl, and see how we can help you create playground memories filled with fun like we do for every client!