Name: Larry Konecny
New title: Chief Operating Officer, Red Lobster
Previous title: Chief Concept Officer, Maggiano’s Little Italy
As COO, Konecny will direct operations at Red Lobster’s roughly 545 stores in the U.S. and Canada as the brand looks to turn around its fortunes after exiting Chapter 11, according to a Monday press release.
Konecny will have particular responsibility for “initiatives to deliver elevated food quality, customer service, and operational efficiency, while fostering a culture rooted in teamwork and excellence.”
Konecny joins the brand from Maggiano’s Little Italy, a 52-unit Italian casual dining brand owned by Brinker International, where he spent 17 years in a variety of positions, including two years as COO, according to his LinkedIn.
According to the press release, Konecny led Maggiano’s “through a period of record-breaking sales and profit growth, while fostering a best-in-class guest and team experience.” The release states that Konecny also led a menu transformation and revitalization of the lunch daypart at Maggiano’s.
Under new CEO Damola Adamolekun, the chain has revived its C-suite, hiring a new chief marketing officer and a new chief financial officer last month. The chain exited Chapter 11 in September with $60 million in fresh funding and is working to undertake a series of revitalization efforts after it closed more than 100 restaurants earlier this year.
