Barnes & Noble Education on Wednesday said it appointed Jonathan Shar as the Basking Ridge-based firm’s new CEO, succeeding Michael Huseby, who resigned effective immediately.
“I am honored to take on the role of CEO and to help lead this important organization. Barnes & Noble Education has consistently excelled in introducing innovative solutions for colleges and universities, along with its unparalleled focus on customer service,” Shar said. “This is a pivotal and exciting time, and I look forward to working with the board and our talented team to drive Barnes & Noble Education to new heights and to drive value for all stakeholders.
“I also want to thank Mike Huseby for his many years of guidance and leadership. He has made many important contributions to the company, our clients, our employees and to me personally.”
Prior to his appointment as CEO, Shar served as president of Barnes & Noble College and executive vice president of BNED Retail. In this role, Shar was responsible for the company’s retail segment, including overseeing both physical campus bookstores and e-commerce sites nationwide.
Before joining BNED in 2018, Shar was chief marketing officer at Akademos, an e-commerce and digital marketing company that provides online bookstore services. He also spent nearly five years as general manager of NOOK digital content at Barnes & Noble Inc., overseeing business development, product development and consumer marketing for many of NOOK’s digital content businesses.
Huseby commented: “With the closing of the recent milestone equity investment and bank refinancing transactions, Barnes & Noble Education is now on rock-solid financial ground and better positioned than ever to serve its academic partners and customers. I wish Jonathan and the entire BNED team future success.”
“Jonathan brings great experience and passion for the Barnes & Noble Education business,” William Martin, chairman of BNED. “The opportunity to serve our academic partners and the millions of students who visit our stores each year is boundless. Jonathan is just the leader we need to unlock the future growth and profitability potential of this business.”
