ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Caleres (NYSE: CAL), a diverse portfolio of consumer-driven footwear brands, today announced Amy Hunter will join the company as Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, effective October 21. Hunter will help drive the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy development and organization, including overseeing the company’s affirmative action plans.
Hunter will also guide the organization in its efforts around the focus on recruitment of diverse candidates, heightening the expectations around development of diverse Associates and increasing the slate of diverse candidates for open positions with leadership accountability. She will also lead the assessment of current programs, partnerships and activities to identify opportunities in the company’s community support.
“Earlier this year we made a commitment to our Associates, partners and customers around several initiatives to recharge our DE&I efforts. This included refining our diversity statement to use as a guide in everything we do, identifying and activating an inclusion and diversity advisory council, providing mandatory unconscious bias training for all Associates and hiring a senior-level executive who could focus on these initiatives,” said Diane Sullivan, CEO, president and chairman of Caleres. “We were fortunate to find Amy and her extensive experience, tremendous expertise and proven track record of success will be essential as we move forward with our efforts. We look forward to her leadership as we seek to elevate our focus and accelerate our initiatives in the most meaningful way possible.”
Prior to joining Caleres, Hunter was responsible for leading global Diversity & Inclusion for Boeing Defense and Space, as well as corporate groups. Some of her many accomplishments include leading international women’s initiatives, consulting with the executive team on development and implementation of diversity strategies and initiatives, managing the company’s Business Resource Groups (BRGs) and creating racial equity tools and resources. Prior to Boeing, Amy led the diversity and inclusion strategies and initiatives for BJC Healthcare’s St. Louis Children’s Hospital including supporting “Forward Through Ferguson” initiatives within the region. She was instrumental in focusing on addressing healthcare disparities in the region. In addition, Hunter was the Chief Diversity Officer for the YWCA Metro St. Louis, and held various roles of increasing responsibility with Edward Jones, Monsanto and Bank of America. Hunter has presented and spoken around the world and has presented three TEDx talks with the most popular being Lucky Zip Codes.
Hunter holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri, St. Louis, and is currently in their School of Education doctoral program focusing on Social Justice. She is an active St. Louis diversity leader who has tirelessly served the community with various organizations including her current position on the board of the United Way of Greater St. Louis.
About Caleres
Caleres is the home of today’s most coveted footwear brands and represents a diverse portfolio spanning all of life’s styles and experiences. Every shoe tells a story and Caleres has the perfect fit for every one of them. Our collections have been developed and acquired to meet the evolving needs of today’s assorted and growing global audiences, with consumer insights driving every aspect of the innovation, design, and craft that go into our distinctly positioned brands, including Famous Footwear, Sam Edelman, Naturalizer, Allen Edmonds, Vionic, Dr. Scholl’s Shoes, and more. The Caleres story is most simply defined by the company’s mission: Inspire people to feel great…feet first.
