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Barnes & Noble appoints Michael Huseby to CEO

Michael Huseby, who started as CFO and was promoted to president last year, will lead the bookseller's retail, college, and Nook Media operations.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
Don Reisinger
Barnes & Noble CEO Michael Huseby. Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble has appointed a new CEO to lead the bookseller's retail and digital businesses.

Michael Huseby is now CEO at Barnes & Noble, the company announced on Wednesday. In his new role, Huseby will lead Barnes & Noble's retail, college, and Nook Media operations.

Huseby's star has risen quickly at Barnes & Noble. He joined the company in March 2012 as chief financial officer and was quickly promoted to president last summer. Prior to joining Barnes & Noble, Huseby served as vice president and CFO at Cablevision. He was also a global equity partner at the now-defunct Arthur Andersen.

Barnes & Noble has been without a CEO since July 2013 when its former chief executive, William Lynch, resigned. Lynch was appointed CEO in 2010 and helped get the Nook off the ground.

When it comes to Nook, Huesby faces an uphill battle. The company's Nook operation reported weak earnings for its second fiscal quarter which ended October 26, 2013. Barnes & Noble's e-readers and tablets are widely viewed as some of the better offerings in the mobile space, but sales continue to decline as major competitors like Apple and Amazon attract more consumers.