Boston's Pizza Restaurant & Sports Bar named restaurant industry veteran Jeff Melnick executive vice president for the casual dining concept.

Over the course of his 40-year career, Melnick has worked with a variety of restaurant companies, including Chili's Grill & Bar, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries Inc., which owns the Gordon Biersch concept.

In his new role, Melnick will work with current franchisees to enhance their operations and partner with new franchisees on their restaurant openings.

Boston's Restaurant & Sports Bar has 23 locations operating in 16 states. The company's sister brand, Boston Pizza, has more than 400 locations throughout Canada.