In this Community Conversation, we will discuss assessing financial aspects of your business and how you can use numbers to make sound decisions.

About Darlene:

Darlene Wilson is a distinct representative of how Birmingham businesses operate given effective and efficient leadership of their organization. With more than twenty-five years in the corporate banking and public accounting industry, more than fifteen of those years as an entrepreneur in our city qualifies her as a leading entrepreneur in Metro Birmingham and many other regions and states.

Darlene received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Montevallo. She is honored for being recently named to the 2019 National List of the Top 100 Influential Execs in Finance. Her firm was also recently nominated for ICIC’s 2019 Inner City 100 Award. The Inner City 100 is a national ranking of America’s fastest-growing urban businesses in inner cities. She completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program at Babson College in the Fall of 2018 and Emerging Leaders through the U.S. Small Business Administration in 2017.

Darlene was selected to serve on Regions Bank Advisory Board for the Birmingham market in 2019 and is also a member of the Inaugural Small Business Council for the City of Birmingham where she serves as the chair of the City Services Committee. She was appointed by Mayor Randall Woodfin to Birmingham Airport Authority Board of Directors in 2018 where she serves as the Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee. Darlene also serves as Treasurer of The WellHouse and Alabama Women in Business. She is Immediate Past Board Chair of REV Birmingham where she continues to serve on the executive committee and Board of Directors. She is also a Member of Foundation Capital.

She has been a mentor for Bizwomen Mentoring Monday for the past four years. Darlene was recognized as BBJ’s Women to Watch 2017 and 2015 CEO Finalist of the year in the Small Business Category presented by Birmingham Business Journal.

As the Managing Principal of her firm she has learned the meaning of corporate culture and collaboration and understands why this is important for her team. She is the example of a true leader knowing how to empower all those she encounters on her journey.

Darlene is the mother of one son, Christian and he is Junior student/athlete in Denver studying accounting. As Darlene says it best, this is by far her greatest accomplishment in life and brings her the most joy! She is a native of Lake Charles, LA and has been in Birmingham, AL for thirty years and both are home to her. She enjoys cooking, wine tasting, traveling, flower gardening and reading. She simply loves life!