Akilah Darden is a highly recognized and accomplished figure in the construction industry.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN, March 27, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Akilah W. Darden, MBA, has been inducted into Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Akilah Darden is a highly recognized and accomplished figure in the construction industry. An architect, engineer, construction professional, author, speaker, philanthropist, mentor, community advocate, and overall influencer, she is most known for trailblazing opportunities for minorities in construction. After more than 20 years of experience in the construction industry, Ms. Darden founded The Darden Group LLC in Indianapolis as the president and founder in 2019. It is a leading executive construction management firm that specializes in commercial construction leadership, construction training, and strategist for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the construction industry. Akilah leads a team of talented individuals who focus on providing creative and innovative solutions across many markets to include creating the Construction Management Masterclass (courses.dardengroupllc.com), writing a book with her kids (akilahdarden.com), and creating on-the-construction-site construction interviews on Instagram (@thedardengroupllc).
The Darden Group LLC is notably a certified Minority- and Women-owned business with both the Office of Minority and Women Business Development for the City of Indianapolis and Indiana Department of Administration. It is also a nationally certified Women-Owned Business and Women-Owned Small Business with the Women's Business Enterprise National Council. Other certifications include Indiana Department of Transportation Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and federal certification as a HubZone business. As a subject matter expert, Ms. Darden is also a registered provider of continuing education through the Construction Manager Association of America with the creation of the online course, "Construction Management Masterclass." In this capacity, she offers a series of comprehensive and interactive masterclasses in construction management.
Having begun her career in architectural engineering after graduating from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Ms. Darden started in architecture but quickly realized her passion was in the building of structures that would help communities. Akilah switched to construction, to follow her passion and to trailblaze a path so other women and minorities could have a career in construction. Though many people over many years would try to get her to change her career, Ms. Darden made it her mission to not only take on the challenging industry, but to be successful on every project she led. While leading projects it allowed her to connect individuals with opportunities with a strong focus on minorities. Becoming highly successful in the industry, she has been responsible for building and managing approximately $2 billion in construction. She was also responsible for the oversight of a $35 million office building in downtown Washington, D.C., as a 24-year old newly promoted project manager. Looking toward the future, Ms. Darden aims to lead corporations to a billion dollars spent with minority vendors and provide opportunities for a more diverse group of construction professionals comprised of minorities and women.
Aside from her responsibilities as the founder of her construction company, Ms. Darden has been the director of design and construction, diversity, and inclusion at Indiana University Health Design & Construction, a nonprofit health care system based in Indianapolis, since 2021. Akilah also led the global company, Cook Medical to build their medical facility using 100% diverse participation.
Ms. Darden began her career as an engineer at Centex Homes in 1999. She subsequently became an engineer at Bell BCI from 1999 to 2000, a project manager at Clark Construction between 2000 and 2008, a senior project manager at Gilbane Building Company from 2008 to 2015, and a project executive at TriVersity Construction between 2015 and 2018.
In 2022, Ms. Darden published her first book with her four children, "My Mom is a Construction Manager" via Darden Group LLC. The book is also available in Spanish. Along with the book, she is selling a plush toy called Future Builder, inspired by one of the characters in her book. Purchases can be made at AkilahDarden.com, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, and online at Amazon.com.
Heavily engaged in civic initiatives, Ms. Darden has been serving as a board member for TechPoint Foundation for Youth since 2023, an advisory council member for the Stanley K. Lacy Advisory Council since 2020, the president and board of directors for ACE Mentor Indiana since 2020, the vice chair and legacy leader for Pass the Torch for Women Foundation since 2017 and board member since 2019 and board chair in 2023, and the treasurer for the Donald White/Mandla A. Ndwanya Memorial Fund Inc. since 2017. Ms. Darden is also involved with numerous other nonprofit, educational, and civic organizations to include being a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc and Jack and Jill of America.
Ms. Darden possesses a rich educational background. She received a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 1999 and a Master of Business Administration at Marymount University in 2004. There have been over 125 news publications and press releases about Ms. Darden's work to include The Chicago Journal's Entrepreneurs to Watch Out For in 2020, Advise From 6 Successful Entrepreneurs by Forbes and Yahoo Finance.
In light of her achievements, Ms. Darden was recognized by the Indiana Minority Business Magazine as the Champion of Diversity in 2023. She was also a Leading Light 'You Inspire Us!' Award recipient by Women & Hi Tech in 2022, 2022 Inaugural Indiana 250 for most impactful and influential leaders in Indiana, and her company was named the Minority Business Enterprise of the Year by the Office of Mayor Joe Hogsett in 2022. The Construction Management Masterclass received the MIRA Award for Best of Tech Award recognized by TechPoint. In 2021, Akilah was recognized by the Indiana Business Journal as a Woman of Influence. Among other accolades, Ms. Darden was recognized by the Center for Leadership Development with the Business and Industry Award in 2020. Akilah was nationally recognized by Building Design & Construction among Forty Under 40 in the construction industry.
In 2022, Ms. Darden raised over $26,000 in 7 weeks for the American Heart Association.
Early in her career, Ms. Darden wrote poetry which was published in the Library of Congress.
For more information:
AkilahDarden.com
DardenGroupLLC.com
LinkedIN: TheDardenGroupLLC, Akilah Darden, and My Mom is a Construction Manager
Instagram: @TheDardenGroupLLC, @MyMomIsAConstructionManager
FaceBook: @TheDardenGroupLLC, @MyMomIsAConstructionManager
TikTok: @Future_Builder
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTX2DrcVjlspha1vbaK_2Pw
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Marquis celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2023, and Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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