The Raley’s Companies has promoted Jessica Blakely and Faith Garrard to senior roles overseeing sales and merchandising across the organization’s banners.
These appointments reflect The Raley’s Companies’ commitment to operational excellence, customer-focused innovation and developing talent from within.
Jessica Blakely
Blakely has been appointed as VP of sales and merchandising for Bashas’ Family of Stores. In her new role, she will oversee all aspects of category management for fresh and center store, vendor relations, data and analytics, pricing, schematics and merchandising for Bashas’, Bashas’ Diné and Food City stores.
“Jessica’s strategic insights, deep understanding of our business and proven leadership make her exceptionally well-suited for this role,” said The Raley’s Companies’ CEO Keith Knopf.
“Her appointment marks a significant step forward as we continue to strengthen our operations and deliver exceptional value to our customers in Arizona and New Mexico. In her new capacity, she will report directly to me.”
Blakely joined The Raley’s Companies in 2014 and has held roles of increasing responsibility within the sales, merchandising and marketing teams. Most recently, she served as VP of marketing, where, under the leadership of Deirdre Zimmermann, she led the company’s marketing strategy and drove customer engagement through enhancements to the loyalty program, retail media, data analytics and CRM. Prior to that, Blakely led several large categories as well as all private label development.
“I’m honored to step into this new role and grateful for the opportunity to lead such a passionate and talented team,” Blakely said.
“Bashas’ Family of Stores has a rich legacy of serving communities across Arizona, and I look forward to building on that foundation by enhancing the in-store experience, deepening our connection with customers and driving innovation in our merchandising strategy.”
Faith Garrard
Garrard has been promoted to VP of sales and merchandising for Raley’s Operating Co. In this capacity, Garrard will lead sales and merchandising efforts focusing on innovation, operational excellence and delivering value to customers.
“Faith’s innovative approach, outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence have been instrumental to Raley’s ongoing success,” Knopf said.
“Her dedication to elevating our fresh categories and building strong vendor partnerships has inspired teams across the organization and positioned us for continued growth. In her new capacity, Garrard will continue to report to Paul Gianetto, president of Raley’s Operating Division.”
Throughout her tenure, Garrard championed customer-centric strategies, built strong vendor partnerships and led high-performing teams. Her passion for transforming the way people experience food aligns with Raley’s mission.
“I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and for the support of such a dedicated team,” Garrard said. “Raley’s has a proud tradition of innovation and customer service, and I look forward to continuing to deliver outstanding experiences and value to our customers.”
About The Raley’s Cos.
The Raley’s Companies is a private, family-owned retail company headquartered in West Sacramento, California.
Since its founding in 1935, its store operations have grown to include more than 230 locations across four states and four Tribal Nations under eight banners: Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill Foods, Raley’s O-N-E Market, Bashas’, Food City, AJ’s Fine Foods and Bashas’ Diné Market.
In addition, The Raley’s Companies bridges the divide between the physical and digital retail experiences through the operation of Apium Logistics, fieldera and fieldTRUE.
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