David George
Bloomin' BrandsAbout David George
David George is a retired Chief Operating Officer of Darden Restaurants and has been an Independent Director of Bloomin’ Brands since 2024; he chairs the Operating Committee and serves on the Compensation Committee. He brings 30+ years of casual dining operating leadership, previously overseeing Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse; he holds a BS in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Michigan State University and is age 69 as of the 2025 proxy . He was appointed to the Board on January 2, 2024 under the Starboard Agreement and designated Operating Committee Chair and Compensation Committee member; the agreement has since expired .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darden Restaurants | EVP, COO | 2018–2020 | Led operational turnaround initiatives; deep familiarity with casual dining consumer dynamics |
| Darden Restaurants | EVP | 2016–2018 | Senior operational leadership |
| Olive Garden (Darden) | President | 2013–2018 | Direct operational oversight; growth and profitability record |
| LongHorn Steakhouse (Rare Hospitality/Darden) | President | 2003–2013 | Operational leadership of brand |
| LongHorn Steakhouse | SVP of Operations | 2001–2003 | Operations leadership |
| The Capital Grille | VP of Operations | 2000–2001 | Operations leadership |
| LongHorn Steakhouse | Regional VP of Operations (North) | 1998–2000 | Regional operations |
External Roles
- No current public company directorships disclosed for David George in BLMN’s proxy biographies .
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Board affirmed David George is independent under NASDAQ standards; also independent for Compensation Committee membership . |
| Committee Assignments | Operating Committee Chair; Compensation Committee member . |
| Appointment Context | Appointed Jan 2, 2024 via Starboard Agreement; Operating Committee formed (George, Mahoney, Mohan, Sagal); agreement expired by its terms . |
| Board Meetings FY2024 | 9 Board meetings; each incumbent director attended ≥75% of Board and committee meetings; all directors attended 2024 annual meeting . |
| Compensation Committee Meetings FY2024 | 5 meetings . |
Committee Memberships (as of 2025 proxy)
| Committee | Role |
|---|---|
| Operating Committee | Chair |
| Compensation Committee | Member |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Policy | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FY2024 Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $127,974 | |
| FY2024 Stock Awards (RSUs, grant-date fair value) | $193,830 (prorated initial grant upon joining Jan 2024) | |
| FY2024 Total | $321,804 | |
| Annual Cash Retainer (non-employee directors) | $95,000 | |
| Compensation Committee Member Retainer | $12,500 (member; $30,000 for chair) | |
| Operating Committee Chair Retainer | $30,000 ($10,000 for members) | |
| Annual RSU Grant (non-employee directors) | $155,000 fair value (Non-Exec Chair $240,000) | |
| Director Grant Timing/Vesting | Grants at annual meeting; vest in full at the first annual meeting following grant date; off-cycle initial grant prorated and vests at next annual meeting |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Type | Grant Mechanics | Vesting | FY2024 Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) | Annual grant sized by fair market value; off-cycle initial grant for new directors prorated from first board meeting to next annual meeting | Vest in full at the first annual meeting following grant date | $193,830 grant-date fair value (prorated 2024 initial grant); 5,881 unvested RSUs as of Dec 29, 2024 |
No performance-based equity (e.g., PSUs) is disclosed for non-employee directors; director equity is time-based RSUs .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Compensation Committee Composition | Independent directors: Levy (Chair in 2024 proxy), Marein-Efron, George, Mohan; committee affirmed independent . In 2025 proxy: Compensation Committee (Marein-Efron Chair) includes George, Levy, Mohan . |
| Interlocks | No compensation committee interlocks or insider participation beyond independent directors disclosed . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Casual dining operations expertise from 30+ years at Darden and Rare Hospitality, with direct oversight of Olive Garden and LongHorn; proven record of driving growth and profitability .
- Executive leadership in large-scale operational environments; turnaround initiatives at Darden .
- Education: BS, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Michigan State University .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (Feb 12, 2025) | 2,688 shares; <1% of outstanding (based on 84,855,311 shares outstanding) . |
| Unvested RSUs (Dec 29, 2024) | 5,881 RSUs (will not vest within 60 days of Feb 12, 2025 per footnote) . |
| Stock Ownership Guidelines | Non-employee directors: 5x annual cash retainer; expected to meet within five years; all non-employee directors have met or are on track . |
| Hedging/Pledging Policy | Directors and officers prohibited from hedging, short sales, holding stock in margin accounts, or pledging as collateral . |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness and engagement: George chairs the Operating Committee formed in connection with Starboard’s involvement, signaling focused operational oversight; Compensation Committee met five times in FY2024; Board met nine times with ≥75% attendance by incumbents and full annual meeting attendance—supportive of active governance cadence .
- Independence and alignment: Board affirmed George’s independence (including for Compensation Committee); director RSUs are time-based and vest with the annual cycle; stock ownership guidelines at 5x retainer and anti-hedging/pledging policies strengthen alignment with shareholders .
- Compensation mix: FY2024 compensation was balanced between cash ($127,974) and equity RSUs ($193,830, prorated), consistent with peer-aligned director pay structure; time-based RSUs avoid undue risk and tie to service terms .
- Activism/Interlock context: George’s appointment under the Starboard Agreement and role as Operating Committee Chair reflect activist-influenced board refresh and operational oversight; the agreement has expired, reducing ongoing formal obligations—this is a governance signal rather than a conflict per se .
- Related-party exposure: Proxy states no related party transactions requiring Item 404 disclosure other than arrangements related to OSRB/Brazil; none involve George—no conflicts identified for him .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to David George. Activist-appointed status may warrant monitoring for potential alignment or influence dynamics, but independence is affirmed and the Starboard Agreement has expired .