Genesco Inc. just became the latest shoe company to name a woman to its top finance job.
The shoe retailer on Tuesday announced that it has named Cassandra “Sandra” Harris to the role of senior vice president of finance and chief financial officer. She replaces Thomas George, who is retiring after almost four years as Genesco’s CFO.
With her appointment, Genesco joins Crocs, Wolverine Worldwide and Superfeet in being a top shoe company to tap a female to the CFO role this year.
“It’s an exciting time for Genesco and I am thrilled to join this incredible team at such a pivotal time,” Harris said in a statement. “I look forward to working closely with the Genesco leadership team to help shape the company’s next chapter of growth as a footwear focused industry leader.”
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Before joining Genesco, Harris served as CFO at interior finishing dealer Artisan Design since February of 2023. Prior to that, she served as CFO and chief operating officer of Tupperware Brands and served in several top roles, including chief information officer and CFO of global supply chain, during an almost decade-long tenure at VF Corporation. At Genesco, Harris will report to Genesco board chair, president and chief executive officer Mimi Vaughn.
“Sandra is a proven executive leader with a consistent record of driving strategic growth and value across complex organizations. She brings invaluable expertise from numerous multi-channel, multi-brand consumer businesses,” said Vaughn in a statement. “We look forward to benefitting from Sandra’s leadership as we continue to drive sustainable growth, profitability, and long-term shareholder value.”
Her appointment follows a series of new executive hires at Journeys as the Genesco-owned retailer executes on its turnaround program and growth strategy. In July, Journeys named Stacy Doren as executive vice president and chief marketing officer of the Journeys Group. In January, former Foot Locker executive Chris Santaella as executive vice president and chief merchandising officer. And in November, Genesco brought in Foot Locker veteran Andy Gray as Journeys president.
The appointment also comes as more women are named to the CFO role across footwear and the broader corporate world. According to a Volatility Report released from executive search boutique Crist Kolder Associates in February, the percentage of female CFOs across S&P 500 and Fortune 500 companies has nearly doubled over the past decade, going from 10 to 20 percent between 2013 and 2023. The report also found that the consumer sector was the industry that had the most female CFOs between 2013 and 2023, with 30 women holding CFO positions in that sector in 2023.
