ISS Recommends For All Twelve Of Starboard's Director Nominees For Darden

(RTTNews) - Starboard Value LP, one of the largest shareholders of Darden Restaurants Inc. (DRI), with beneficial ownership of about 8.8% of the outstanding common stock of the Company, announced that Institutional Shareholder Services or "ISS", a leading independent proxy voting advisory firm, has recommended that Darden shareholders vote on Starboard's WHITE proxy card to elect all twelve of Starboard's nominees to the Darden Board of Directors at the upcoming 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

The nominees are Betsy Atkins, Margaret Shan Atkins, Jean Birch, Bradley Blum, Peter Feld, James Fogarty, Cynthia Jamison, William Lenehan, Lionel Nowell, III, Jeffrey Smith, Charles Sonsteby, and Alan Stillman.

Glass Lewis & Co., LLC has also recommended that Darden shareholders vote on Starboard's WHITE proxy card to elect all twelve of Starboard's nominees after concluding that Starboard "has made a compelling case that election of all of its nominees is warranted" and that the election of all twelve of Starboard's nominees "is more likely to effect long-term improvements and provide greater board oversight" at Darden.

Starboard urges all Darden shareholders to support ISS' and Glass Lewis' calls for resounding change on the Board by voting the WHITE proxy card TODAY to elect all twelve of Starboard's world-class nominees at the Annual Meeting.

ISS concluded that shareholders should vote for ALL TWELVE of Starboard's nominees on Starboard's WHITE proxy card saying: "As the dissidents have made a compelling case that a change in control is warranted, have provided a detailed strategic and operating plan to minimize the risk of unintended consequences, and nominated a compelling slate of candidates - and in particular because election of all twelve dissident nominees will also result in the dissidents expanding the board to add back two current incumbents, enabling a more thoughtful approach to board continuity - votes FOR each of the twelve dissident nominees are warranted."