Councilman

Darren has supported regional development initiatives since 2018, working alongside local economic development councils to help attract investment and quality job growth to the region. He believes strong local leadership means actively creating opportunity, listening to the needs of residents and businesses, and helping Northwest Ohio compete successfully on a national and international stage.

As Co-Chair of the City’s Human Relations Commission, Darren helped support programs that promoted inclusion and mutual understanding for more than 600,000 residents across the metro area. One of the experiences he is most proud of was working alongside community leaders, law enforcement, and neighborhood advocates on efforts that contributed to several gang truces and a measurable reduction in summer violence. That work reinforced his belief that meaningful progress happens when people from all walks of life work together toward practical solutions.

A tradesman and builder at heart, Darren is a proud vocational school graduate and lifelong supporter of the skilled trades. He earned a vocational degree in Drafting and Engineering Technology and an Associate Degree in Environmental Control Systems from the Community College of the Air Force. He later earned both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Civil Engineering from The University of Akron, followed by an Executive MBA from Georgetown University. 

Throughout his career, Darren has shared practical lessons learned from public service and private sector work with audiences ranging from local community organizations to national and international forums, including the United Nations General Assembly, Cambridge University, and King’s College London. 

For Darren, public service is about putting experience to work where it matters most: serving and strengthening the places people call home.

Darren’s background reflects a lifelong commitment to service and country. He is proud to continue a family tradition of military service, with every generation on his father’s side having served in the United States military dating back to the Revolutionary War.

Darren enlisted in the Ohio Air National Guard one week after the September 11 attacks. After rising to the rank of Sergeant, he later commissioned as a U.S. Navy officer. In that role, he worked alongside special operations and engineering teams overseas and later helped support Naval facilities throughout the Washington, D.C. area.  His leadership earned recognition from the Joint Special Operations Command and the Secretary of the Navy. 

Today, Darren serves as Chief Executive Officer of a Washington, D.C.–based company focused on practical problem solving in complex environments. His team works with public and private sector partners on logistics, infrastructure, and resource development projects in parts of the southern hemisphere and underserved communities within the United States. He believes lessons learned through this work are most meaningful when applied to strengthening local communities and creating lasting opportunity.

In addition to his primary work, Darren supports long-term investment and technology initiatives. He serves on the board of an impact investment fund and has helped launch emerging technology ventures, including cofounding a digital asset platform in the sports and entertainment space. He credits much of his success to working alongside people with different skills, backgrounds, and perspectives.

Outside of work, Darren values time with family and enjoys sports such as sailing, tennis, hunting, weight training, and boxing.