Robert L. Bernstein, chairman and president of Random House Inc., announced his resignation from the publishing house he has run for 23 years. A successor wasn't named, which fueled speculation that Mr. Bernstein may have clashed with S.I. Newhouse Jr., whose family company, Advance Publications Inc., owns Random House. Abrupt departures aren't unheard of within the Newhouse empire. In an interview, Mr. Bernstein said his departure `` evolved out of discussions with Si Newhouse and that's the decision I reached. '' He declined to elaborate, other than to say, `` It just seemed the right thing to do at this minute. Sometimes you just go with your gut. '' Mr. Bernstein said he will stay until Dec. 31 and work with his successor, who is to be named soon. Mr. Newhouse, meanwhile, insisted that he isn't unhappy with Mr. Bernstein or the performance of Random House, the largest trade publishing house in the U.S.. The company said the publisher's annual sales volume increased to $800 million from $40 million during Mr. Bernstein's tenure. ``Bob has handled the extraordinary growth of the company quite brilliantly, '' said Mr. Newhouse. `` The company is doing well, it's stable, it's got good people. Bob has an agenda and this seemed like the natural time. '' Publishing officials believe that while Random House has enjoyed spectacular growth and has smoothly integrated many acquisitions in recent years, some of the bigger ones haven't been absorbed so easily. Crown Publishing Group, acquired last year, is said to be turning in disappointing results. As a private company, Random House doesn't report its earnings. Mr. Bernstein, who succeeded Bennett Cerf, has been only the second president of Random House since it was founded in 1925. Speculation on his successor centers on a number of division heads at the house. Possible candidates include Susan Petersen, president of Ballantine\/Del Rey\/Fawcett, Random House's huge and successful paperback division. Some say Anthony Cheetham, head of a recently acquired British company, Century Hutchinson, could be chosen. There is also speculation that Mr. Newhouse could bring in a powerhouse businessman or another Newhouse family member to run the business side, in combination with a publishing executive like Robert Gottlieb, who left Random House's Alfred A. Knopf to run the New Yorker, also owned by the Newhouse family. Not included on the most-likely-successor list are Joni Evans, recruited two years ago to be publisher of adult trade books for Random House, and Sonny Mehta, president of the prestigious Alfred A. Knopf unit. When Ms. Evans took her job, several important divisions that had reported to her predecessor weren't included partly because she didn't wish to be a full-time administrator. Mr. Mehta is widely viewed as a brilliant editor but a less-than-brilliant administrator and his own departure was rumored recently. Mr. Bernstein, a tall, energetic man who is widely respected as a publishing executive, has spent much of his time in recent years on human rights issues. TEXT Robert L. Bernstein , chairman and president of Random House Inc. , announced his resignation from the publishing house he has run for 23 years . A successor was n't named , which fueled speculation that Mr. Bernstein may have clashed with S.I. Newhouse Jr. , whose family company , Advance Publications Inc. , owns Random House . Abrupt departures are n't unheard of within the Newhouse empire . In an interview , Mr. Bernstein said his departure `` evolved out of discussions with Si Newhouse and that 's the decision I reached . '' He declined to elaborate , other than to say , `` It just seemed the right thing to do at this minute . Sometimes you just go with your gut . '' Mr. Bernstein said he will stay until Dec. 31 and work with his successor , who is to be named soon . Mr. Newhouse , meanwhile , insisted that he is n't unhappy with Mr. Bernstein or the performance of Random House , the largest trade publishing house in the U.S. . The company said the publisher 's annual sales volume increased to $ 800 million from $ 40 million during Mr. Bernstein 's tenure . `` Bob has handled the extraordinary growth of the company quite brilliantly , '' said Mr. Newhouse . `` The company is doing well , it 's stable , it 's got good people . Bob has an agenda and this seemed like the natural time . '' Publishing officials believe that while Random House has enjoyed spectacular growth and has smoothly integrated many acquisitions in recent years , some of the bigger ones have n't been absorbed so easily . Crown Publishing Group , acquired last year , is said to be turning in disappointing results . As a private company , Random House does n't report its earnings . Mr. Bernstein , who succeeded Bennett Cerf , has been only the second president of Random House since it was founded in 1925 . Speculation on his successor centers on a number of division heads at the house . Possible candidates include Susan Petersen , president of Ballantine\/Del Rey\/Fawcett , Random House 's huge and successful paperback division . Some say Anthony Cheetham , head of a recently acquired British company , Century Hutchinson , could be chosen . There is also speculation that Mr. Newhouse could bring in a powerhouse businessman or another Newhouse family member to run the business side , in combination with a publishing executive like Robert Gottlieb , who left Random House 's Alfred A. Knopf to run the New Yorker , also owned by the Newhouse family . Not included on the most-likely-successor list are Joni Evans , recruited two years ago to be publisher of adult trade books for Random House , and Sonny Mehta , president of the prestigious Alfred A. Knopf unit . When Ms. Evans took her job , several important divisions that had reported to her predecessor were n't included partly because she did n't wish to be a full-time administrator . Mr. Mehta is widely viewed as a brilliant editor but a less-than-brilliant administrator and his own departure was rumored recently . Mr. Bernstein , a tall , energetic man who is widely respected as a publishing executive , has spent much of his time in recent years on human rights issues . 2~4~6~8~10~12~14~16~18~20~22 18~20~22 28 28~30 34~36~38 40 48~50 55~57 71 75~77 87~89~91 95 95~97~99~101~103~105~107 113~115 120~122 134~136~138 145~147 151~153 157 157~159 169 173~175 183~185 187 196 218 224~226~228 236~238 245 253 253~255 262~264 268 276~278 286 286~288 292 307~309 321 331~333 337~339~341~343~345 343~345~347~349~351~353~355~357~359~361~363 361~363 368~370 374~376~378~380~382~384 376 390~392~394 398~400~402 406~408 406~408~410~412 419 425~427~429~431~433~435 433~435 447~449 456~458 468 476 482~484 489 493~495 499 505~507~509 516~518 526~528 534~536 546~548 552~554 558~560~562~564~566 562~564~566 583~585~587 593~595 611~613 620~622~624 628~630 638 640 645~647 655~657 667~669~671~673~675~677 675~677 681 689 694 698 698~700 706~708~710~712~714~716~718~720 712~714 718~720 725~727 731~733~735~737~739~741~743~745~747~749~751~753~755~757~759~761 741~743~745~747~749~751~753~755~757~759~761 747~749 766 770~772~774~776~778~780~782~784~786~788~790~792~794 780~782~784~786~788~790~792~794 813 817~819 827~829~831 835~837~839~841 837~839 847~849~851 861~863~865 869~871 879~881 879~881~883~885~887~889 895~897~899 909~911~913 924~926~928 932~934 940~942~944 950~952~954~956~958~960~962~964 954~956~958 962~964 970~972~974~976~978~980~982~984~986~988~990 980~982~984~986~988~990 997~999 1003 1003~1005 1009~1011~1013 1023 1023~1025 1037 1049~1051~1053 1058~1060 1070~1072~1074 1078~1080~1082 1086 1086~1088~1090 1101~1103~1105~1107~1109~1111~1113~1115 1117 1127~1129~1131 1143 1143~1145~1147~1149~1151 1149~1151 1155~1157 1155~1157~1159 Robert L. Bernstein|2593,2595,2598,2602,2610,2611,2616,2617,2624,2625,2627,2632,2641,2643,2651,2669,2676,2721,2722,2724 Random House Inc.|2594,2597,2606,2634,2638,2656,2665,2666,2667,2672,2673,2680,2684,2696,2705 his resignation|2596 23 years|2599 A successor|2600,2628,2629,2677 speculation|2601,2675,2688 S.I. Newhouse Jr.|2603,2604,2614,2630,2631,2646,2689 whose family company|2605,2636,2645,2647,2648,2649 Abrupt departures|2607,2613 the Newhouse empire|2608 an interview|2609 his departure|2612,2618,2619 the decision|2615 this minute|2620 you|2621,2622 your gut|2623 Dec. 31|2626 the performance of Random House|2633 the U.S.|2635 annual sales volume|2637,2639,2640,2668 Mr. Bernstein's tenure|2642 the extraordinary growth of the company|2644 good people|2650 an agenda|2652 this time|2653,2654 Publishing officials|2655 spectacular growth|2657 many acquisitions|2658 recent years|2659 some of the bigger ones|2660 the bigger ones|2661 Crown Publishing Group|2662 last year|2663 disappointing results|2664 Bennett Cerf|2670,2671 1925|2674 a number of division heads at the house|2678 division heads|2679 Possible candidates|2681 Susan Petersen|2682 Ballantine\/Del Rey\/Fawcett|2683 Some|2685 Anthony Cheetham|2686 a recently acquired British company|2687 a powerhouse businessman|2690 another Newhouse family member|2691 the Newhouse family|2692,2699 the business side|2693 a publishing executive|2694 Robert Gottlieb|2695 Random House's Alfred A. Knopf|2697 the New Yorker|2698 the most-likely-successor list|2700 Joni Evans|2701,2703,2708,2709,2712,2714 two years ago|2702 adult trade books|2704 Sonny Mehta|2706,2716,2717,2718,2719 the prestigious Alfred A. Knopf unit|2707 publisher of adult trade books for Random House|2710 several important divisions|2711 her predecessor|2713 a full-time administrator|2715 his own departure|2720 a publishing executive|2723 his time in recent years|2725 recent years|2726 human rights|2727 human rights issues|2728 2593|NUC:DIST:2~4~6|MOD:DESC:10~12~14~16~18~20~22 2594|NUC:DIST:18~20~22 2595|NUC:DIST:28 2596|MOD:DIST:28|NUC:DIST:30 2597|MOD:DIST:34|MOD:DIST:36|NUC:DIST:38 2598|NUC:DIST:40 2599|MOD:DIST:48|NUC:DIST:50 2600|MOD:DIST:55|NUC:DIST:57 2601|NUC:DIST:71 2602|MOD:DIST:75|NUC:DIST:77 2603|NUC:DIST:87~89~91 2604|NUC:DIST:95 2605|MOD:DIST:95|MOD:DESC:97|NUC:DIST:99|MOD:DESC:103~105~107 2606|NUC:DIST:113~115 2607|MOD:DESC:120|NUC:DIST:122 2608|MOD:DIST:134|MOD:DESC:136|NUC:DIST:138 2609|MOD:DIST:145|NUC:DIST:147 2610|MOD:DIST:151|NUC:DIST:153 2611|NUC:DIST:157 2612|MOD:DIST:157|NUC:DIST:159 2613|NUC:DIST:169 2614|NUC:DIST:173~175 2615|MOD:DIST:183|NUC:DIST:185 2616|NUC:DIST:187 2617|NUC:DIST:196 2618|NUC:DIST:218 2619|MOD:DIST:224|MOD:DESC:226|NUC:DIST:228 2620|MOD:DIST:236|NUC:DESC:238 2621|NUC:DIST:245 2622|NUC:DIST:253 2623|MOD:DIST:253|NUC:DESC:255 2624|MOD:DIST:262|NUC:DIST:264 2625|NUC:DIST:268 2626|NUC:DIST:276~278 2627|NUC:DIST:286 2628|MOD:DESC:286|NUC:DIST:288 2629|NUC:DIST:292 2630|MOD:DIST:307|NUC:DIST:309 2631|NUC:DIST:321 2632|MOD:DIST:331|NUC:DIST:333 2633|MOD:DIST:337|NUC:DIST:339|MOD:DIST:341~343~345 2634|NUC:DIST:343~345|MOD:DESC:349~351~353~355~357~359~361~363 2635|MOD:DIST:361|NUC:DIST:363 2636|MOD:DIST:368|NUC:DIST:370 2637|MOD:DIST:374|MOD:DESC:376~378|MOD:DESC:380|MOD:DESC:382|NUC:DIST:384 2638|NUC:DESC:376 2639|NUC:DIST:390~392~394 2640|NUC:DIST:398~400~402 2641|MOD:DIST:406|NUC:DIST:408 2642|MOD:DIST:406~408~410|NUC:DIST:412 2643|NUC:DESC:419 2644|MOD:DIST:425|MOD:DESC:427|NUC:DIST:429|MOD:DESC:431~433~435 2645|MOD:DIST:433|NUC:DIST:435 2646|MOD:DIST:447|NUC:DIST:449 2647|MOD:DIST:456|NUC:DIST:458 2648|NUC:DIST:468 2649|NUC:DIST:476 2650|MOD:DESC:482|NUC:DIST:484 2651|NUC:DESC:489 2652|MOD:DIST:493|NUC:DIST:495 2653|NUC:DIST:499 2654|MOD:DIST:505|MOD:DESC:507|NUC:DIST:509 2655|MOD:DESC:516|NUC:DIST:518 2656|NUC:DIST:526~528 2657|MOD:DESC:534|NUC:DIST:536 2658|MOD:DESC:546|NUC:DIST:548 2659|MOD:DESC:552|NUC:DIST:554 2660|NUC:DIST:558|MOD:DIST:560~562~564~566 2661|MOD:DIST:562|MOD:DIST:564|NUC:DIST:566 2662|NUC:DIST:583~585~587 2663|MOD:DIST:593|NUC:DIST:595 2664|MOD:DESC:611|NUC:DIST:613 2665|MOD:DIST:620|MOD:DESC:622|NUC:DIST:624 2666|NUC:DIST:628~630 2667|NUC:DIST:638 2668|NUC:DIST:640 2669|MOD:DIST:645|NUC:DIST:647 2670|NUC:DIST:655~657 2671|MOD:DIST:667|MOD:DIST:669|NUC:DESC:671|MOD:DESC:673~675~677 2672|NUC:DIST:675~677 2673|NUC:DIST:681 2674|NUC:DIST:689 2675|NUC:DIST:694 2676|NUC:DIST:698 2677|MOD:DIST:698|NUC:DIST:700 2678|MOD:DIST:706|NUC:DIST:708|MOD:DIST:710~712~714|MOD:DESC:716~718~720 2679|MOD:DIST:712|NUC:DIST:714 2680|MOD:DIST:718|NUC:DIST:720 2681|MOD:DIST:725|NUC:DIST:727 2682|NUC:DIST:731~733|MOD:DESC:737~739~741~743~745~747~749~751~753~755~757~759~761 2683|NUC:DIST:741~743|MOD:DESC:747~749~751~753~755~757~759~761 2684|NUC:DIST:747~749 2685|NUC:DIST:766 2686|NUC:DIST:770~772|MOD:DESC:776~778~780~782~784~786~788~790~792~794 2687|MOD:DIST:780|MOD:DESC:782~784|MOD:DESC:786|NUC:DIST:788|MOD:DESC:792~794 2688|NUC:DIST:813 2689|MOD:DIST:817|NUC:DIST:819 2690|MOD:DIST:827|MOD:DESC:829|NUC:DIST:831 2691|MOD:DIST:835|MOD:DESC:837~839|NUC:DIST:841 2692|MOD:DESC:837|NUC:DIST:839 2693|MOD:DIST:847|MOD:DIST:849|NUC:DESC:851 2694|MOD:DIST:861|MOD:DIST:863|NUC:DIST:865 2695|NUC:DIST:869~871 2696|NUC:DIST:879~881 2697|MOD:DESC:879~881~883|NUC:DIST:885~887~889 2698|MOD:DIST:895|NUC:DIST:897~899 2699|MOD:DIST:909|MOD:DESC:911|NUC:DIST:913 2700|MOD:DIST:924|MOD:DESC:926|NUC:DIST:928 2701|NUC:DIST:932~934 2702|MOD:DIST:940|NUC:DIST:942|MOD:DIST:944 2703|NUC:DIST:950|MOD:DESC:952~954~956~958|MOD:DIST:960~962~964 2704|MOD:DESC:954|MOD:DESC:956|NUC:DIST:958 2705|NUC:DIST:962~964 2706|NUC:DIST:970~972|MOD:DESC:976~978~980~982~984~986~988~990 2707|MOD:DIST:980|MOD:DESC:982|MOD:DIST:984~986~988|NUC:DIST:990 2708|NUC:DIST:997~999 2709|NUC:DIST:1003 2710|MOD:DESC:1003|NUC:DIST:1005 2711|MOD:DESC:1009|MOD:DESC:1011|NUC:DIST:1013 2712|NUC:DIST:1023 2713|MOD:DIST:1023|NUC:DIST:1025 2714|NUC:DIST:1037 2715|MOD:DIST:1049|MOD:DESC:1051|NUC:DIST:1053 2716|MOD:DIST:1058|NUC:DIST:1060 2717|MOD:DIST:1070|MOD:DESC:1072|NUC:DESC:1074 2718|MOD:DIST:1078|MOD:DESC:1080|NUC:DIST:1082 2719|NUC:DIST:1086 2720|MOD:DIST:1086|MOD:DESC:1088|NUC:DIST:1090 2721|MOD:DIST:1101|NUC:DIST:1103|MOD:DESC:1107~1109~1111~1113~1115 2722|NUC:DIST:1117 2723|MOD:DIST:1127|MOD:DIST:1129|NUC:DIST:1131 2724|NUC:DIST:1143 2725|MOD:DIST:1143|NUC:DIST:1145|MOD:DIST:1147~1149~1151 2726|MOD:DIST:1149|NUC:DIST:1151 2727|MOD:DIST:1155|NUC:DIST:1157 2728|MOD:DIST:1155~1157|NUC:DIST:1159