Smashburger tapped Jim Sullivan to serve as chief executive officer. He has served as the fast-casual chain’s president since February.

Sullivan’s executive and restaurant development experience spans more than 25 years and includes working with high-growth franchise systems, per a release. Before joining Smashburger, Sullivan served as chief development officer at QDOBA, where he oversaw global expansion and new restaurant development. Sullivan also held senior development roles at CKE Restaurant Holdings, Friendly’s Ice Cream, Modern Restaurant Concepts and American Hospitality Concepts.

While serving as Smashburger president for the past six months, Sullivan has overseen a variety of initiatives, including the launch of a large brand campaign “Summer of Smash,” the introduction of an everyday value tier, menu innovation through items like the Bacon Brisket Smash and unit growth with the opening of the chain’s newest location at Detroit Metro Airport.

Moving forward, Sullivan will “focus on accelerating franchise development, with a particular emphasis on high-impact, non-traditional growth in venues such as airports and higher education,” per a release. And he will look to “reinvest in the in-restaurant experience.”