And for now, the company's financial performance seems to be responding well to its diverse leadership: the retailer announced raised annual profit outlooks just as several of its main competitors are struggling to lure shoppers to its stores. Macy's latest appointment of Leslie Hale represents another example of the retailer looking beyond the traditional experiences of board directors to bring in a diverse perspective. Hale, a 42-year-old African American, is the youngest member of Macy's board and had no prior board experience. Yet Lundgren is interested in Hale because of her financial acumen: At RLJ Lodging, she serves as chief financial officer. "I was drawn to Macy's because I could add value both from my professional experience as a public company CFO in the hospitality industry and from my personal experience as a Macy's shopper with a young family," said Hale on the recent appointment. "I felt an immediate fit with the board members I met, all of whom had different backgrounds and experiences."