Mindi Dardenne

Mindi Dardenne is an accounting professional with 20 years of experience. She chose the field because it came easily to her in high school and allows her to make financial decisions and help others. Her expertise is primarily in manufacturing, including collaboration and having difficult conversations. Her typical responsibilities have included preparing financial statements, managing payroll, handling human resources, overseeing grant money, and using QuickBooks. She is currently in between jobs. She attributes her success to seeing the results of her work help others and being open-minded, as illustrated by her experience at Pratt Industries in the corrugated industry where a customer requested a cardboard coffin for greener burials. She received the best career advice to be optimistic, listen to understand rather than to speak, be slow to anger, and come from a place of the bigger picture. Her advice to young women entering the industry is to pursue certifications without hesitation, take advantage of opportunities for self-improvement, focus on becoming wise, pay attention to those already succeeding in the desired role, stay out of noise and drama, and learn about oneself. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking and previously ran a basketball program for four years.