A 'WORD' with future Rubber Division Chair Tina Darnell

AKRON—Tina Darnell has described her introduction to the rubber industry as "non-conventional."

As a matter of fact, as long as she could remember, she planned to be a veterinarian.

"I didn't grow up in the Akron area, I didn't know anything about rubber. That wasn't even anything that I can recall thinking about," she said. "At a very early age, I had always been around animals (between) 4-H and working at veterinarians' offices. I was always focused on being a veterinarian, that was what I wanted to do since I knew anything."

Today, however, Darnell is the sales director at Chardon Custom Polymers, a compounder based in Chardon, Ohio, where she has worked the past two years. She has worked in the rubber industry for over 26 years.

And in 2028, Darnell will be only the third woman to serve as board chair of the ACS Rubber Division—following Terry DeLapa, who was the first woman to serve as chair in 2015, and Kim Dempsey-Miller, who was the second woman and first African American woman to serve as chair in 2021.

Earlier this year, the division featured Darnell, currently serving as board secretary, in one of its WORD (Women of the Rubber Division) Conversations, where she fielded questions from Dempsey-Miller and recounted her journey into the industry.

Darnell said she planned to get a degree in science, then go to vet school.

After graduating with her bachelor's degree from Pfeiffer University in North Carolina, however, she was met with a tough job market and was in search of a position while she studied for graduate school and worked in surgery for a local veterinarian.

It was at that time a former teammate from her high school softball team helped her find a job working in the lab at Oliver Rubber Co. L.L.C., a division of Standard Products, in her hometown, Asheboro, N.C.

The position was promising, as it allowed her the time to study for grad school. But it turned out to be a great fit for Darnell's career.

"I was quickly promoted to process engineer, and then later on, they created a position (for me) as associate chemist," Darnell said during the virtual WORD event. "They really started training me and they really took me in and got me interested in the industry."

Within her first year working with Oliver Rubber, Standard Products was acquired by Cooper Tire, which gave Darnell the opportunity to relocate a few years later to Auburn, Ind., where she worked as an R&D chemist in NVH.

"It was really a good opportunity to learn, and it definitely has provided a really good career," Darnell said.

Since then, Darnell has earned her master's degree from Indiana Wesleyan University and her Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from Kent State University. She also has held several jobs within the rubber industry before coming to Chardon Custom Polymers, working in the fields of custom mixing, aerospace, tires and automotive, among others.

Did you have any mentors throughout your career? How did they help you?

Darnell credited the entire Oliver Rubber team for taking her under their wings early in her career.

"They recognized my potential," she said, noting the company created learning opportunities and projects to help her advance in the industry.

She also named Tom Dendinger, who worked with Cooper Tire at the time as a director. Darnell worked with Dendinger after relocating to Auburn following Cooper's acquisition of Standard Products.

Dendinger also served as the division's board chair in 1994.

"He (saw) my potential and he helped provide that opportunity for me in R&D (in Auburn) based off of my knowledge and experience that I'd gained in Asheboro, N.C., with Oliver," she said. "He also helped me professionally with guidance to pursue my MBA, and then just opportunities within the company in my career."

During her interview process for the relocation, Darnell said, Dendinger even made a special point to ease her mother's concerns over her move to a job that would be about 12 hours away from her hometown.

"He actually invited my mom to Auburn," she said. "She got to tour the facility and meet him, meet his wife and his family. It was really a personal touch that helped add that sense of, 'I'm going to be OK, even though I'm 12 hours away.'

"My mom still talks about it to this day."

Darnell recounted a core lesson she learned from Dendinger.

"He said to me initially when being hired that he knows I'm not going to have all the answers. And he doesn't care where the answer comes from," she said.

What mattered is that she did the work to try to find it.

"That helped relieve the pressure and the stress of thinking I needed to come into the position and know everything," she said. "That (the new position) was an opportunity to learn, to work with people and find the answers."

"My father was very influential in my life," Darnell said, noting her father coached her and her brother's softball and baseball teams and was always an advocate for both.

"Participating in sports was a big part of my life and in our family," she said.

"I learned to be a team member, have a strong work ethic and (have the) persistence and determination to do my best. That environment, along with my father's coaching, helped build confidence. And I think that's something that's very important in my life—and for all the things that you endure in your life—to have that confidence in yourself and support of your family and friends."

Darnell said her passion for learning has proved to be a challenge for her in the industry at times.

"I have a very strong passion. If I'm going to do something, I'm extremely passionate about it and I'm going to do it to the best of my abilities. At times, that can be misinterpreted," she said.

When she is eager to learn something, she said, she can be persistent, which can be perceived as threatening to some people.

To combat this perception, Darnell said she has made an effort to get to know the people with whom she works.

"Try to get to know people and be at their level … so they get to know you and know your intentions are good," she said.

Darnell noted, however, that her career has been ripe with opportunity thanks to strong women ahead of her.

"A lot of the opportunities that I have had is because of the women like (Dempsey-Miller) and Terry DeLapa, and all the women that have come before me in this industry," Darnell said.

"I think women that are strong and confident, … they've paved the way for others to make it a little bit easier as you're entering into the industry," she said, later adding that she hopes to also help remove obstacles for those who come after her.

"Get out of your comfort zone and make sure that you're learning," Darnell said, emphasizing the importance of planning ahead for your career so you don't miss out on opportunities due to a lack of skill sets.

"Take on projects that allow you to collaborate outside of your team, because that's when you're going to learn and see how all the pieces really fit together within the industry or within your organization," she said.

"And really think about your career. What is it that you really like to do? What fields do you need? And then pursue it and be ready for the opportunity when it comes.

"If you need a certain skill set, go get it."