Prior to joining Fierce Entertainment, Darlene Durden accrued more than 20 years experience in various accounting capacities, from staff positions and full charge bookkeeping, to leading Business Management accounts, in fields as diverse as meat distribution and the Law. Her extensive career began at Federal Mogul, as an accounts payable clerk while pursuing her degree at the University of Detroit, and prior employers include Deloitte & Touche and U.S. Air Force Civilian Services.

Darlene has had several jobs within the automotive industry; her staff position in an auto parts distributor leading to the General Motors Insurance division. It was her tenure first with MTS, and later as a UAW/Daimler Chrysler Job Bank Coordinator, managing 1300 auto workers requiring re-training, that brought meaning to the phrase, "there are people behind the numbers".