Amie Agee Server and Five-Star Trainer Smokey Bones Barbeque & Grill 

Amie Agee has spent practically her entire life in the restaurant business. Her mother manages a quick-service restaurant and Amie herself began working in the industry at age 15. She feels fortunate to be with Darden.“The best thing about working at Smokey Bones is they give you a chance. Management is very open with everybody and goes out of their way to let the entire team know what’s happening in the company and in your own restaurant all the time.They treat you as an equal and that is very comforting, very rewarding.” 

## Leadership Defined 

## Motivation 

Understanding. Patient. Knowledgeable. Upbeat. These are the words Amie Agee uses to describe a leader. And when describing Amie herself, we would add – busy.  Since joining Smokey Bones three years ago, she has advanced quickly from a restaurant greeter to a five-star trainer who has helped open 19 restaurants. In her training role, Amie is responsible for teaching new teammates everything from the details of the Smokey Bones menu to how Smokey Bones approaches treat- ing every guest the right way every time. It’s a huge assignment and one that is vital to Smokey Bones’ growth. 

Since debuting in 1999, Darden’s barbeque and sports-based concept has enjoyed rapid expansion, opening 69 restaurants in 18 states as of the end of fiscal 2004, and racking up sales of $174 million. Over the next 12 months, the Company anticipates opening another 30 to 40 Smokey Bones restaurants. That translates into a constant need to attract, train, and retain great new teammates. 

Amie says that one of the best tools in her arsenal is the Smokey Bones Fan Survey, the restaurant‘s mystery guest assessment program. She urges her trainees to approach every situation with a goal of attaining 100 percent on the survey. Along with a host of incentive programs, it’s not only a great motivational tool, but also what Amie describes as an “open-book test.” 

Given its growth to date – Smokey Bones has nearly doubled its number of restaurants every year – we believe Smokey Bones has the potential to one day become as large as Darden’s pioneering Red Lobster and Olive Garden concepts, serving as one of the Company’s major growth vehicles for years to come. 

