Houston-based ExpressJet has named Thomas Hanley its new president and CEO. Hanley has replaced interim president and CEO Patrick Kelly, who has returned to his position on ExpressJet’s board of directors on May 1 after filling a vacancy left by long-time CEO James Ream. Ream resigned last December to accept a position with Dallas-based American Airlines.

Hanley previously worked in a variety of executive positions for a private equity fund, Wexford Capital of Greenwich, Conn., and most recently led a restructuring of Rhino Energy, a Lexington, Ky.-based coal company. His various positions within the airline industry included director of the United Express network, vice president of the US Airways Express division, president of Republic Airways subsidiary Republic Airlines and CEO of Shuttle America, then a Saab 340 operator owned by Wexford Capital.