Nat Martin Director, Bakery Purchasing Darden Restaurants 

As a former football player who attended Purdue University on scholarship, Nat Martin under- stands the concept of team support. Though he has a corporate-level position, he never thinks in those terms. “Those of us in Restaurant Support really view our responsi- bilities in terms of the front-line. We never lose sight of the fact that everything we do relates back to the guest sitting in the restaurant. As a purchasing director, my cus- tomer base is every general man- ager in the company. My job is to help them do their job well by pro- viding an excellent experience for 

Leadership Defined 

## Vision 

Often, leadership is a matter of perspective. During his more than 10 years as a supplier of restaurant beverage and cooking equipment, Nat Martin had the opportunity to observe dozens of restaurant companies. When he began interacting with Darden, he saw a leader. “The Company and its people simply stood out in the industry,” he remembers. “Their knowledge, their manner, their professionalism – it all had an air of cutting-edge for our industry.” 

Darden also recognized a leader, and soon recruited Nat as a purchasing manager. Within just two years, he has risen to Director of Bakery Purchasing at Darden’s Restaurant Support Center in Orlando, Florida. “I buy the breadsticks!” he jokes. His responsibilities include devel- oping and maintaining good relationships with approximately 40 suppliers at any given time. Nat stresses the relationship part of his job description. “Our approach to suppliers is best described as a strategic partnership,” he says. “We ultimately want them to feel like an extension of our Company, with an understanding and apprecia- tion of our corporate culture.” This means, for instance, not always focusing solely on costs, but also on building a relationship where Darden and its suppliers have mutually compatible long-term growth and business goals. 

Suppliers are a critical part of Darden’s success, a fact underscored at an industry gathering, when Darden presents its annual William Darden Distinguished Supplier Awards to nine suppliers whose inno- vative solutions contribute significantly to Darden’s growth. Selected from more than 2,000 suppliers, these recipients truly represent some of the most talented companies in the food service industry. 

