MINNEAPOLIS -- Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) today expanded the role of Shari Ballard, executive vice president, to include the U.S. entertainment business. By bringing entertainment and multichannel capabilities together under Ballard, the company hopes to improve its ability to solve customer and business challenges as entertainment content continues to migrate toward digital delivery.

In her new role as executive vice president of entertainment, multichannel and human capital, Ballard continues to oversee human resources, legal, international call centers and U.S. Web sites. Ballard reports to Brian Dunn, president and chief operating officer, for the U.S. entertainment business, and to Brad Anderson, CEO, for multichannel and human capital.

“Shari is a talented leader who understands the need to deepen our relationships with those who are most important to us – our employees and our customers,” Dunn said. “She excels at motivating employees, encouraging quick-cycle experiments, and building networks inside and outside the company. Her passion and willingness to experiment will be critically important as we explore how to use employee and customer insights to deliver individualized entertainment experiences for customers.”

Best Buy’s U.S. entertainment business is organized around market strategies and customer solutions. In fiscal 2007, entertainment software accounted for 18 percent of company revenue, including sales of DVD movies, videogame hardware and software, CDs and computer software.

As part of this change, Gary Arnold, formerly senior vice president of Best Buy’s U.S. entertainment business, now serves as senior entertainment officer, a new role in which he focuses full-time on bringing more entertainment access and exclusive offers to Best Buy’s customers around the world. Arnold, based on the West Coast, now reports to both Ballard and Barry Judge, senior vice president of marketing. Ballard is expected to name Arnold’s successor to the entertainment business leadership role in the near future.

“Gary’s reputation and influence in the entertainment industry can help Best Buy build even deeper relationships with customers across the globe,” said Dunn.

As head of human resources and legal, Ballard has delivered a talent strategy anchored in an understanding of employees’ unique strengths. Ballard has a strong conviction that great employee experiences can result in great customer experiences, and that the best ideas for growth do not originate from the people at the top of an organization chart. Under her leadership, her teams developed innovative ways to reward employees and simplified the way customers communicate with the company. In recent months, she has revitalized the company’s multichannel business, which she views as a portfolio of assets to be deployed against customer needs. Grounded in retail, Ballard joined Best Buy in 1993 as an assistant store manager and served as general manager of a store in Flint, Mich., before moving to human resources in 1997. She was named executive vice president of human resources and legal in 2004, and in 2006 her work expanded to include the U.S. Web sites and call centers.

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) operates a global portfolio of brands with a commitment to growth and innovation. Our employees strive to provide customers around the world with superior experiences by responding to their unique needs and aspirations. We sell consumer electronics, home-office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services through more than 1,150 retail stores across the United States, throughout Canada and in China. Our multi-channel operations include: Best Buy (BestBuy.com, BestBuy.ca and BestBuy.com.cn), Future Shop (FutureShop.ca), Geek Squad (GeekSquad.com and GeekSquad.ca), Pacific Sales Kitchen and Bath Centers (PacificSales.com), Magnolia Audio Video (Magnoliaav.com), Jiangsu Five Star Appliance Co. (Five-Star.cn) and Speakeasy (speakeasy.net). Best Buy supports the communities in which its employees work and live through volunteerism and grants that benefit children and education.