Smokey Bones has tapped company veteran Hal Lawlor to fill the newly created role of president and chief operating officer.

Hal LawlorLawlor served as Smokey Bones chief operating officer for four years. The company created this role following the departure of CEO James O’Reilly, who led the chain for four years.

During his tenure with the company, Lawlor has “helped implement processes to increase efficiency, enhance the guest experience, and optimize the company’s cost structure,” per a release. Under Lawlor’s leadership, Smokey Bones has been implementing AI machine learning to assist in operations, including table management and labor scheduling.

Before joining Smokey Bones, Lawlor held several leadership roles at Red Lobster, including vice president of operations, and served as a a regional vice president at PF Chang’s.