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. 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.” 12  Darden Restaurants Leadership Defined Motivation