Darin Crafton

Darin Crafton joined Wharton Smith in 2015 and brought with him more than 20 years of experience in the construction industry and a proven record of successful completion of many high-profile multi-million-dollar projects. In his current role of Chief Operating Officer (COO), Darin supports the company’s vision and strategic goals and plays an essential part in shaping the company’s future. Under Darin’s leadership, the expansion of the commercial division has thrived, and the company has increased its revenue by more than 300 percent. This growth has led to new commercial market share in education, municipal, assisted living facilities, and entertainment in both Central Florida and throughout our regional areas of operation. Prior to joining Wharton-Smith, Darin worked as a Senior Construction Manager for PCL Construction Services where he managed the American Dream project in Rutherford, NJ, a $2 billion mixed-use, high-end retail, hotel, and water park. Darin also led PCL’s Charlotte, NC, office as Area & Operations Manager where he was responsible for operations oversight, business development, community relations, and the quality of services provided by his team.   Darin holds a bachelor’s degree in Construction from Bradley University in Peoria, IL. Community service is a passion for Darin, and he actively supports Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., Kids House, Habitat for Humanity, and the Foundation for Seminole County Schools. When he is not engaged with work and philanthropy, Darin can be found spending time with his wife Teri, son Ty, and often on the golf course caddying for his daughter, Alex. Darin’s Work Philosophy: Two things that define my work philosophy are teamwork and creativity. In fact, I think this not only drives my work life, but it is a major factor in my private life as well. I enjoy working with others to achieve common goals. This practice brings the benefit of developing more ideas or better ideas to tackle problems head on with the force of more than one person’s ideas. While working as a team, there is a creative approach to solving a problem by mixing multiple good ideas into a creation of greatness and collaborative achievement. My steps to initiate these two philosophies are to provide an environment of open and creative planning, active listening, and critical thinking.