Mason Smoot, a 26-year McDonald’s Corp. veteran, has been named senior vice president and chief restaurant officer. He replaces Charlie Robeson, who is retiring, the Chicago-based quick-service chain said. Smoot starts May 1 in the new role, where he will oversee franchising, U.S. operations, and restaurant development. His previous role was senior vice president of strategic alignment and chief of staff for the Office of the CEO and the interim global chief people officer. In a message to employees, McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger thanked Robeson for his 44 years of service, which included driving critical initiatives such as Hot off the Grill and Experience of the Future. He started off as a crew member in Dayton, Ohio, working his way up into various regional and corporate positions through the years. “He is an outstanding leader, advisor and friend to so many,” Erlinger said. “I would like to personally thank him for his counsel and support as I returned to the U.S. business. He always tells it like it is … and this has proven especially valuable for me the last six months.” Erlinger said Smoot played a key role in the brand’s 2015 global turnaround and helped focus the organization on future growth. “I have had the opportunity to work closely with Mason over the last five years while in my international roles. He is a highly inclusive and collaborative leader who works effectively across multiple disciplines to bring people together for the betterment of our restaurants,” said Erlinger, who was president of International Operated Markets before being tapped as USA president in November. Erlinger acknowledged that Smoot takes on a key role during a critical period. “While the COVID-19 crisis will inevitably change customer behaviors and the competitive landscape, I have full confidence Mason and his teams. They will lead the U.S. business to bring the flexibility and responsiveness needed to support our restaurants and owner/operators so we come out of this stronger than before,” he said. McDonald’s and its franchisees operate nearly 14,000 restaurants in the U.S. A majority of locations have remained open for carryout, delivery and drive-thru services during the coronavirus pandemic. – Source: NRN.