How Did I Get Here? Gene Lee wanted to coach but settled for quarterbacking Darden Restaurants

President and chief executive officer, Darden Restaurants

“I was a wannabe athlete. I thought I was going to be a football coach, because my uncle was a successful one.”

“I went for one year and decided to go into a management-training program at York Steak House. My father didn’t talk to me for about three months.”

“Five York Steak Houses were sold to Pizzeria Uno. I had to start all over again as a manager in training. It was humbling.”

“We’re at $7 billion in revenue, 150,000 employees, and 1,550 restaurants. Our culinary innovation is what gets me excited, like our Olive Garden breadstick sandwiches. There are always a couple things coming out at each brand.”

“There are so many parallels to sports: It’s competitive to see how many guests you can do and how low a labor cost you can run, and managing was like coaching.”

“We owned LongHorn Steakhouse, Capital Grille, and Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse. Our primary challenge was how to get control of all these restaurants with our brand name on them that franchisees owned and operated.”

“It was a difficult transition—I gave up responsibility for LongHorn, which was like giving away a child.”

With his wife, Amy, and daughters Samantha (far right) and Jamie, 2012

Ringing Nasdaq’s opening bell to celebrate Rare’s 25th anniversary, 2006

As a Pop Warner player, 1971

With Olive Garden team members, 2015

Darden acquires Rare Hospitality, 2007