Diane Sullivan, Executive Chairman at Caleres, to Receive Two Ten’s Bob Campbell Lifetime Achievement Award

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS (March 5, 2024) ― Two Ten Footwear Foundation today announced that Diane Sullivan, executive chairman of the board at Caleres, will be presented with the 2024 Bob Campbell Lifetime Achievement Award at Two Ten’s annual Gala in June.

The Bob Campbell Lifetime Achievement Award was established by the Two Ten Footwear Foundation Board of Directors in 2009 and named for its first recipient, the late Bob Campbell, an industry trailblazer and a champion for colleagues in need. Bob never forgot the hardships he faced in his youth and was a fierce advocate for the Two Ten mission. This award, presented only once every five years, recognizes an individual who has shown extraordinary leadership and deep compassion—just as Bob did.

“We look forward to recognizing Diane for her remarkable career. Diane has been a powerful voice in our industry. Her leadership, ability to connect with people, and successful career have made her a role model to so many, especially women rising into executive roles. Diane was a co-founder of Two Ten’s Women in the Footwear Industry (WIFI) community so that women across the industry could learn from and support each other while building their professional networks.” said Shawn Osborne, president and CEO of Two Ten Footwear Foundation. “Diane has had tremendous social impact promoting gender parity and she’s been a transformational business leader. She built Caleres into an industry-leading enterprise by focusing on the power of people and their impact and developing a culture of caring. In addition to her own distinguished board service, Diane has helped advance a number of civic and charitable organizations in the St. Louis metropolitan region and beyond.”

Seth Campbell, corporate president at BBC International, adds, “Dad's spirit lives on in the honor bestowed upon Diane, a leader whose remarkable contributions to the footwear industry and dedication to gender parity, education, and healthcare truly exemplify the essence of this award. Diane's commitment to hard work and philanthropy mirrors Dad's values, making her the perfect recipient. It's a tribute that speaks volumes to their shared legacy.”

Sullivan herself acknowledges one of the real joys of finding success in business is being able to connect with others to make positive change—at your own company and through the community organizations you support, including Two Ten. “Those of us who serve on the board at Two Ten are committed to lifting lives,” she said. “We feel a deep responsibility to offer hope to footwear colleagues in need and to provide opportunity, especially for women in the business through WIFI. When we offer hardship and disaster relief, support educational dreams, and help advance careers, we’re building a more inclusive footwear community where everyone can feel they belong and know their colleagues care.”

Under Sullivan’s leadership, Caleres transformed from a company that sells shoes to a company that builds brands, using deep consumer insights to create powerful consumer connections. Caleres is nearly a $3B portfolio of global footwear brands including Famous Footwear, Sam Edelman, Allen Edmonds, Naturalizer, and Vionic. Sullivan joined Caleres in 2004, was named Chief Executive Officer in 2011, and became Executive Chairman in 2023. Sullivan is known for her leadership, philanthropic passion, and impact on the footwear industry. For decades she has appeared regularly on the Power 100 List of the Most Influential Designers, Influencers and Leaders in the Shoe Industry and the Fairchild Media Women in Power List. She received the Icon Award for Social Impact in 2017, was named Person of the Year in 2013 and 2018, and was inducted into the Footwear News Hall of Fame in 2022. Sullivan was recognized by the Women’s Forum of New York for efforts to achieve gender parity on the Caleres board of directors, which is more than 50 percent female.She has been a guest lecturer at Washington University, Saint Louis University, and Webster University, and served as Executive in Residence at the University of Missouri. She served on the boards of Washington University and BJC Healthcare, and currently serves on the boards of Enterprise Mobility, Spanx, and At Home Group, Inc. Prior to joining Caleres she had more than two decades of experience in consumer products, brand building and the footwear industry include serving as vice chairman of PVH’s Footwear Group, president and COO of the Stride Rite Corporation, and vice president of product and marketing at Rockport. Prior to that she held key brand management, marketing, and sales positions at The Mennen Company and M&M/Mars. Sullivan received her MBA from Babson College and her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Boston College.

Sullivan will receive the 2024 Bob Campbell Lifetime Achievement Award at the Two Ten Annual Gala in New York City on June 4, 2024. The Two Ten Gala is a highlight of the spring Fashion Footwear Association of New York (FFANY) market week. This year’s Gala is generously supported by Micro-Pak, Power Rich, Zilsen, Aetrex, Bay Rag Corporation, Ding Cyuan Footwear, Dongguan Boading Footwear Co., Ltd., First Precise Trading Ltd., Jade Footwear, Properwell Shoes Mfg. Ltd., Serena Shoes, Stella, Zhi Mei Group, AGG Group, American Apparel & Footwear Association, Chanty Shoes, Circana, Coronet Group, Dunion Industry Limited, Fortune Footwear, ISA TanTec Ltd., SEI, Charles F. Stead & Co. LTD, Everdynasty Co., Ltd., Prime International India, Dongguan Yifeng Leather Co. Ltd, Nan Chieh Packaging Group (Boxes Shop), and Conceria Stefania S.p.A.

Contact development@twoten.org for more information about tickets or sponsorship.

About Two Ten

Two Ten Footwear Foundation is an independent nonprofit serving the U.S. footwear community. We provide emergency assistance in times of disaster, crisis or hardship; offer free financial, legal, and mental health counseling; award college scholarships to footwear employees and their dependents; and support upskilling and professional development for industry employees. Two Ten brings the people of footwear together to support each other and strengthen the industry workforce. We are the only charitable foundation in the U.S. with this unique mission. We’ve brought hope and opportunity to generations of footwear families since our founding in 1939. Learn more at twoten.org

About Caleres

Caleres is a market-leading portfolio of global footwear brands that includes Famous Footwear, Sam Edelman, Allen Edmonds, Naturalizer and Vionic. Our products are available virtually everywhere – in the nearly 1,000 retail stores we operate, in hundreds of major department and specialty stores, on our branded e-commerce sites, and on many additional third-party retail websites. Combined, these brands make Caleres a company with both a legacy and a mission. Our legacy is our more than 140 years of craftsmanship and our passion for fit, while our mission is to continue to inspire people to feel great…feet first. Visit caleres.com to learn more.

About BBC International Inc.

BBC International LLC is a leading full-service footwear company specializing in Design, Sourcing and Technology with Global Distribution.  With passion, integrity, respect, communication, and community as the core values, BBC is committed to providing high-quality service to our employees, brand partners, and worldwide customers. Learn more at bbcint.com