Caleres appoints debut SVP: Liz Dunn is now a senior VP of corporate development and strategic communications at Caleres, the firm said on Friday.

The newly established position is described in the press statement as an opportunity for Dunn to bring her extensive background of nearly 30 years in equities research, investment banking, consulting, and finance to bear in guiding the U.S. footwear group’s strategic communications and growth objectives towards the achievement of shareholder value.

President and CEO Jay Schmidt will be Dunn’s boss at Caleres.

Dunn is a consultant who has been working independently for the past decade, serving clients including private equity groups, brands, and retailers. Dunn was a sell-side equity research analyst for more than ten years, during which time he specialized in specialty, department, and footwear and clothing retailers as well as high-end brands.

Over the course of her career, she has held positions on the boards of both publicly traded firms and nonprofits, and she has been featured in national media outlets as an authority on consumer stocks and companies.

After starting her career in consumer investment banking at Bear Stearns, the professional went on to work in the finance departments of Liz Claiborne and Gap Inc.

The addition of Liz to the Caleres leadership team is greatly appreciated, according to Schmidt.

Liz has been a consultant for Caleres for the past year, offering insightful feedback on our long-term goals and budget projections. Disciplined execution and coordinated communication are essential for achieving our growth objectives. I have faith that Liz’s extensive knowledge and skill set will bolster our endeavors to generate shareholder value.

Footwear from Famous Footwear, Sam Edelman, Allen Edmonds, Naturalizer, and Vionic are all part of Caleres’ portfolio.

According to Caleres’ most recent trading report, the company’s Famous Footwear and brand portfolio segments contributed to a 4.6% decline in third-quarter revenues to $761.9 million.

Kylie Jenner was the face of the newest ad campaign for the Sam Edelman brand, which debuted earlier this month.