Bart Darrell is a native Texan who was raised in Owensboro and has lived in both Bowling Green and Owensboro during his professional careers in law and higher education. Since graduating from Daviess County High School, Kentucky Wesleyan College (B.A. in Business Management) and the University of Louisville School of Law, He has practiced law and has served his undergraduate alma mater, Kentucky Wesleyan College, as its president.

While with the firm of Bell, Orr, Ayers & Moore in Bowling Green where he practiced upon graduation from law school and now with Foreman Watson Holtrey, he has tried cases all over Kentucky for business, medical, and educational entities.. He has also generally represented public school districts, and is a mediator and arbitrator, resolving legal matters across Kentucky. He was named the Kentucky Bar Association's "Outstanding Young Lawyer," was inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, served as President of the Bowling Green-Warren County Bar Association, along with other recognitions.

Darrell has served in many civic and volunteer roles and is committed to community engagement. His activities included his tenure as Chair of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce board, Chair of the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Board in Bowling Green, board member of the Bowling Green-Warren County Chamber of Commerce, and member and Vice-Chair of Kentucky's Council on Postsecondary Education.

In 2013 Darrell returned to Owensboro and served as President of Kentucky Wesleyan College until June of 2019. During that time the college has grown in enrollment, investment, increased its civic connection, rebranded itself with "The Wesleyan Way," and created professional educational partnerships with pharmacy, medical, business, law, and theology schools. In 2018, College Consensus ranked Kentucky Wesleyan #2 among all colleges and universities in Kentucky. Darrell continues his service as President Emeritus of his beloved college while practicing law as a partner at Foreman Watson Holtrey, LLP.

Darrell has a son, Michael Darrell-Hicks, who is a scholar-athlete at Western Kentucky University where he is also a pitcher for the WKU baseball team. Darrell is a frequent public speaker for such organizations and events as corporate leadership programs, educational institutional training, Leadership Kentucky, the NAACP Gala, Mentor Kids Kentucky, and many others.