About Zac
Background and Education
Before joining SEP, Zac held leadership roles across engineering, consulting, and enterprise technology. He scaled product development teams, implemented organizational rigor, and guided organizations toward more mature delivery practices. He has overseen major enterprise clients and led cross-functional teams in product development. His career has spanned product management, professional services, and technical program management, giving him a strong foundation in both client service and scalable solution delivery.
Working at SEP
As an Engagement Manager, Zac partners with clients to deliver custom software through strong relationships and thoughtful delivery. He hosts SEP’s Behind the Product podcast, leads the creation of the company’s Data Practice, and co‑leads SEP’s Leadership Development Program. Zac also serves as VP, corporate development for Frontega, SEP’s investment arm, where he oversees the portfolio and supports early‑stage founders.
In the Community
Zac gives back through his role as vice president of the board of directors for Heart of a Man, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting men in the community.
On a Personal Note
Zac lives in Westfield, Indiana—conveniently close to SEP’s offices—with his wife and two sons. They enjoy family bike rides on the Monon Trail and frequent visits to local coffee shops, especially Rivet Coffee. The Darnells appreciate the balance of family life, community connections, and the proximity to work that Westfield offers.
Posts by Zac
How to Decide What Gets a Yes When Everything Looks Promising
Every growing company eventually hits the moment where the opportunities in front of you outnumber the people and dollars behind you. And someone has to decide what gets a “yes.” I’ve been on both sides of that. In a past life, I had to make directional decisions in a fast-growing company without a great framework […]
Navigating the Cloud: Key Considerations for Building or Migrating to Cloud-Based Applications
I often have to pull folks at SEP into early conversations with our clients to help explain and understand the technical nature of the clients world. One of those people is our Director of Software Engineering, Jon Fuller. Jon’s experience and approach make him one of the best in our walls at asking great questions […]
Don’t Miss Insightful Advice For Finding Success with Digital Transformation
In the world of software consulting, it’s pretty common to hear horror stories from clients about failed ‘Digital Transformation’ efforts. What most people embark on is a really hard and not-so-simple endeavor. Sometimes, though, I get to hear some success stories. My interview with Josh Haines from Rolls-Royce is the latter. He shared how he’s […]
AI in Product Management: 3 Powerful Takeaways From Our Christine Itwaru Interview
Most of what I love about hosting our podcast are the insights I glean from conversations with my guests. My chat with Christine Itwaru about AI in Product Management is no exception. We talked about many things, but three parts of our conversation stood out to me. Zac’s Episode Takeaways #1. Get Comfy NOT Being […]
The Value of Software Product Discovery & Other Important Lessons – On the Podcast with Brendan Wovchko
On this episode of Behind the Product, Brendan Wovchko joins us to share common problems he sees in product discovery, how his team has matured their product development practice, and how to lead product teams well. As the CTO at Ramsey Solutions, Brendan shares how he leads with simplicity while leveraging tools like Opportunity Solution […]
Industry: The Product Conference
Before I jump into my experience with Industry: The Product Conference this year, let me set the stage— On Father’s Day a few years ago, I didn’t have anything planned. I figured I would ‘wing’ the day and not feel constrained to some schedule (these are rare moments in my life). So my wife suggested […]