NEW YORK – November 12, 2022 - Diane Sullivan, chairman and CEO of Caleres (NYSE: CAL), will join an illustrious group of footwear industry legends on November 30 when she is inducted in the Footwear News Hall of Fame during the annual Footwear News Achievement Awards (FNAAs) held at Casa Cipriani.
Each year the event celebrates footwear’s biggest stars, best brands, emerging talent and industry veterans. This isn’t Sullivan’s first time being recognized at the annual event. In 2013 and 2018 she was named Person of the Year. Her philanthropic passion for the shoe industry, gender parity, education, and healthcare was celebrated in 2017 when she received the Footwear News Icon Award for Social Impact.
“I’ve attended the FNAAs for nearly two decades and I’m humbled and honored to have been considered for the Hall of Fame,” said Sullivan. “I’m looking forward to celebrating with our industry on November 30.”
“Diane’s long-lasting legacy at Caleres will be noted as one of transformation,” said Jay Schmidt, president of Caleres. “During her tenure, she led the transformation of our financial performance, family of brands, digital growth and company culture.”
A full list of Hall of Fame inductees can be found here. 2022 honorees can be found here.
Sullivan joined Caleres as president in 2004 and added chief operating officer to her responsibilities in 2006. She became chief executive officer and president in 2011 and took on the additional role of chairman of the board beginning in 2014. Prior to joining the company, she was vice chairman of the Footwear Group at Phillips-Van Heusen. Sullivan also served as president and COO of The Stride Rite Corporation and gained extensive consumer brand management and sales expertise at several companies including M&M/Mars and The Mennen Company. She has been recognized by the Women’s Forum of New York for her commitment to gender parity, with more than 50 percent women on the Caleres Board of Directors. She serves on the board of the Two Ten Footwear Foundation and was one of the founders of Two Ten's Women in the Footwear Industry community (WIFI). She serves on the board of Enterprise Holdings and the Gateway Arch Park Foundation. Sullivan is also an active member of Greater St. Louis, Inc., an organization of business and civic leaders working to create jobs, expand inclusive economic growth and improve the St. Louis region’s global competitiveness and CEO’s Against Cancer of Missouri.
This past July, Caleres announced Sullivan would retire as CEO on January 15, 2023 and will assume the role of Executive Chairman where she will lead the Caleres Board of Directors and partner with Schmidt and the Caleres leadership team on key strategic initiatives.