MEMBER SPOTLIGHT – DARLENE GRAY

We are incredibly proud of all of our LOOM Coworking members and love seeing their growth, personally and professionally. Learn more about Darlene Gray.

Who is Darlene Gray? I was born in Louisville, KY, and lived about a mile and a half from Churchill Downs for the first two years of my life. My father passed away and my mother moved us back to her family farm in Southwest Georgia, where I grew up surrounded by an insanely large immediate and extended family. I attended a now defunct community college in Georgia, called Darton.  It has since been absorbed into Albany State University, where I also attended before relocating to Charlotte NC (for the first time), when I transferred to UNCC.  I’ve also taken some courses at Winthrop in Rock Hill.   Ultimately, though, my education has been life experience, selective reading and independent study. 

What is your company and who are your customers? I work for Farmers Insurance Group handling Homeowner claims for all fifty states.  I started out working for MetLife Auto & Home in 2001 handling Personal Injury Claims for the state of Massachusetts.  We moved from New England back to Charlotte, in 2005, at which time I moved up to the position of supervisor, decided that was not for me, and transferred back to an adjuster role in the Homeowners department around 2008.   The MetLife Auto & Home division was sold to Farmers in April of 2021.

Other than your work, what are you most passionate about? In my “other life”, I am a singer!   I studied classically for a few years, toying with opera (just enough to appreciate it more) and classical sacred music.  I sing regularly in choir at church and have participated in several chorales across the country.  My focus remains classical sacred with an emphasis on Gregorian Chant, Medieval Polyphony, and most recently, Byzantine Chant.   I’ve sung in several European cities and cathedrals, including the Vatican, the Duomo in Milan, and St. Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest.

How do you feel you have benefitted or grown at LOOM? I am much more productive, and have met some truly interesting people thus far…I won’t name names for fear of forgetting someone though! Just thankful for being here, and if anyone is on the fence about joining, I highly recommend the facilities and the people!

What is the best way to contact/network with you? Facebook, Linkedin and email