Clarence Otis, Jr. is the Chief Executive Officer of Darden Restaurants, the largest world owner of popular chains including Red Lobster, Bahama Breeze and its most popular restaurants, Olive Garden. Otis' life is a classic rags to riches story. Born in Mississippi, the Otis family moved to Los Angeles and settled in the Watts area where Otis witnessed the 1965 riots. Escaping Watts, Otis excelled in academics and was recommended to Williams College where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa before attending Stanford for a law degree. Otis landed his current position as Darden's Chief Executive Officer in 2004.
The Ohio Connection
Clarence Otis is married to Jacqueline Bradley, a former senior vice president in banking and a Cleveland, Ohio native. The Otis' are the largest owners of African-American art in the United States and often lend their pieces for exhibits throughout the world.