OSI names Bonefish ops specialist as Outback presidentOSI names Bonefish ops specialist as Outback president

TAMPA Fla. OSI Restaurant Partners Inc. has promoted Jeff Smith to president of its 953-unit Outback Steakhouse brand. In addition, OSI promoted Steve Erickson to the position of senior vice president of national operations for Outback.

Smith replaces Paul Avery, OSI’s chief operating officer, who served as president on an interim basis after Curt Glowacki resigned for personal reasons in March after only four months in the job. Glowacki has since returned to Mexican Restaurants, which he had left to take the Outback job. He assumed his prior positions of president and chief executive.

Smith was previously vice president of national operations for Bonefish Grill, OSI's seafood chain. He had served in that capacity since 2004.

Smith began his career with OSI in 1989, training at the original Outback Steakhouse restaurant here.

Erickson was previously regional vice president of operations for Outback's western region. Erickson first joined Outback Steakhouse in 1990.

The changes come as OSI is preparing for a shareholder vote on its buyout by management and two private-equity firms in a deal valued at $3.63 billion.