DALLAS Industry titans Clarence Otis of Darden Restaurants Inc., Doug Brooks of Brinker International Inc. and David Brandon of Domino's Pizza Inc. will sit down with Ellen Koteff, editor of Nation’s Restaurant News, for a frank discussion about how to compete and win in today’s challenging business environment at the 50th annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference, or MUFSO, to be held here Oct. 4-6.
Darden, Brinker and Domino’s control a combined $11.4 billion in corporate revenue, which represents 9.2 percent of all the revenue generated from Nation’s Restaurant News’ Top 100 companies. The largest chains that they control — including Red Lobster, Chili’s Grill & Bar and the No. 1 pizza delivery brand, Domino’s Pizza — together tally U.S. systemwide sales of $13.7 billion, or nearly 7 percent of all sales generated by Top 100 chains.
The three chief executives come from different backgrounds, and each brings a unique vantage point to the table.
Otis’ background was in finance and corporate law, not restaurant operations, when Darden recruited him as corporate treasurer from J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. in 1995. In 1999 he was named chief financial officer at Darden, and he took the reins as CEO in 2004. He also was president of Darden’s Smokey Bones Barbeque & Grill from 2002 to 2004.
Brooks began working at the second Chili’s unit in Houston as an assistant manager in 1978, and he rose through the chain’s ranks until he was named president of Chili’s in 1994, a post he held until he was named executive vice president of Chili’s parent Brinker International in 1998. He also held the post of chief operating officer from 1998 to 2003. Brooks has served as chief executive of Brinker since 2004.
Brandon was the backup quarterback for the University of Michigan in 1974 under the leadership of coach Bo Schembechler. He took over as chief executive of Domino’s in 1999 when founder Thomas Monaghan sold the concept to the Bain Capital investment group. Before heading Domino’s, Brandon was president and chief executive of Valassis Inc., an international marketing and sales promotion company, for nearly 20 years, from 1989 to 1998.
“These three men are great strategic thinkers, thoroughly comfortable in their own skin and not afraid of the tough questions,” Koteff said. “I’m looking forward to picking their brains and giving MUFSO attendees the chance to do the same.”
MUFSO will be held Oct. 4-6 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas. For more information, visit www.MUFSO.com.
