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. 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  16  Darden Restaurants