Awards & Recognition
★Horatio Alger Award (2007)
★Silver Plate Award by International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (2012)
★Named one of the most influential directors by National Association of Corporate Directors (2019)
★Williams College Political Science Writing Prize and Phi Beta Kappa (1977)
★Darden named to Fortune's Best Companies to Work For during his tenure
Notable Facts
→First African American CEO of Darden Restaurants (2004-2014), one of only 7 Black Fortune 500 CEOs at the time
→Led world's largest full-service restaurant company with brands including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Red Lobster
→Serves on multiple Fortune 500 boards: Verizon Communications (Lead Independent Director), VF Corporation, The Travelers Companies
→Graduate of Williams College (magna cum laude) and Stanford Law School
→Started career in corporate law representing clients like Carl Icahn before transitioning to investment banking
→Under his leadership, Darden's restaurant count grew from 1,381 to over 2,200
→Earned $7.6 million total compensation as CEO in 2010