Barnes & Noble Education Appoints Jonathan Shar as New CEO

Barnes & Noble Education said Wednesday it has named Jonathan Shar as the Basking Ridge-based company’s new chief executive, replacing Michael Huseby, who resigned immediately.

“I am honored to assume the role of CEO and help lead this important organization. Barnes & Noble Education has consistently done an excellent job of introducing innovative solutions to colleges and universities while also providing an unparalleled focus on client service,” said Shar. “This is a critical 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 create value for all of our stakeholders.”

“I also want to thank Mike Huseby for his guidance and leadership over the years. He has made many important contributions to the company, our clients, our employees, and to me personally.”

Prior to being named 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 division, including overseeing campus bookstores and e-commerce sites nationwide.

Prior to joining BNED in 2018, Shar served as Chief Marketing Officer at Akademos, an e-commerce and digital marketing company that provides online bookstore services. He also served as General Manager of NOOK Digital Content at Barnes & Noble Inc. for nearly five years, overseeing business development, product development and consumer marketing for many of NOOK’s digital content businesses.

Huseby commented, “With the recent completion of a landmark equity investment and bank refinancing transaction, Barnes & Noble Education is now on solid financial footing and better positioned than ever to serve its academic partners and clients. I wish Jonathan and the entire BNED team every success in the future.”

“Jonathan brings a wealth of experience and passion to Barnes & Noble’s education business,” said William Martin, chairman of BNED. “The opportunities to serve our academic partners and the millions of students who visit our stores each year are endless. Jonathan is exactly the leader we need to unlock the future growth and profitability potential of this business.”