Clarence Otis is the former CEO of Darden Restaurants. Under Otis’ leadership, the number of restaurants within the Darden portfolio grew from 1,381 to more than 2,200. He began his career with Darden Restaurants as Treasurer, and SVP of Finance, then CFO, and finally President of Smokey Bones BBQ, one of the company’s restaurant concepts, before being named CEO in 2004. Otis also served as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta from 2010 to 2015. Otis continues his business and community activities through several boards including serving as a director of The Travelers Companies, Inc., a director of VF Corporation and as lead director at Verizon Communications. He is also a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America board of governors, and last year became the board chair for Jazz at Lincoln Center.