Our Leadership Team

Keith Knopf

President & CEO

Keith Knopf is a senior retail executive who brings deep expertise in strategic leadership, business transformation, consumer insights, sustainability and governance.  Keith served in an executive capacity in three Fortune 200 companies (May Co., Victoria’s Secret, Kohl’s) before joining Raley’s. 

As President and CEO, Keith empowers his leadership team to undertake business transformation initiatives that have both anticipated and reacted to fundamental changes in retail.  As a purpose driven leader, he believes in multiple bottom lines, respect and inclusion.

Keith earned a Master’s in Business Administration, Finance from Saint Louis University. He annually attends Stanford’s Board of Director College. Additionally, he serves on the Bay Area Council Executive Committee, and Chairs the Management Board for Super Store Industries, a wholesale grocery distributor and full-service supply chain partner.

Ken Mueller

Finance

Ken Mueller joined Raley’s in 1997 with an extensive background in financial and accounting operations. As CFO, Ken leads the financial services, payroll, real estate and information services departments in implementing strategic financial plans and managing core business systems and technology.

Ken received his bachelor’s in accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He earned his CPA certificate in 1993. Ken served as controller for Jampro Antennas and held accounting positions with Toms & Rojas CPAs and Ernst & Young. Ken and his wife, Brigitte, have two children.

Laura Croff

Human Resources

Laura Croff is a skilled human resources leader and practitioner with over 20 years of experience. She leads a breadth of areas that support Raley’s team members and the business, including human resources, team member relations, learning and development, compensation and benefits and labor relations. Laura is passionate about making Raley’s a great place to work.

She began her career in retail, working at Macy’s in management before moving into human resources. She then led human resources for Lyon’s Restaurants, a large California-based restaurant chain, and oversaw the human resources and labor relations functions for the Farmers’ Rice Cooperative. Laura has served Raley’s for over 14 years in the areas of human resources, talent acquisition and labor relations.

A constant learner, Laura has earned and maintains multiple professional certifications: Senior Professional in Human Resources (SHPR), Professional in Human Resources (PHR-CA) and Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). She is certified to deliver 360-degree feedback and is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Labor Relations/Negotiations program. Laura graduated from California State University Fresno with a bachelor’s degree in consumer science.

Deirdre Zimmermann

Customer Experience

Deirdre Zimmermann is a marketing leader with more than 25 years of retail marketing experience, passionate about developing brands and connecting people to purpose. Zimmermann joined Raley’s leadership team in 2015 as Senior Vice President of Marketing, overseeing all touchpoints in the customer journey including advertising, loyalty and e-commerce. Promoted to Chief Customer Experience Officer in 2018, she is instrumental in shaping our team member and customer experience to continue to evolve the brand, centered around our purpose of improving the health of the people we serve.

She has served as vice president of marketing for several specialty retailers, including Brookstone and White House Black Market. She moved up through the industry, working both in-house and for ad agencies representing major brands such as Fitigues, Jil Sander, The Field Museum and Talbots.

Zimmermann and her husband have one child and share a common passion for healthy food and entertaining.

Craig Benson

Technology

Craig Benson joined Raley’s in 1999 and is the Senior Vice President for Technology.  He has served the company in various technology infrastructure, business development, enterprise architecture and information security leadership roles.

Craig’s role was expanded in 2015 to lead the Raley’s technology services team.  Under his leadership, his team has been able to transform and help drive Raley’s to becoming a strong digital business, through technology and digital-first processes.  With over 25 years in the retail industry, Craig has the innate ability to focus on the customer and simultaneously provide our team members with the tools to deliver on our mission.

Craig earned his Business Information Systems degree from the University of Phoenix, and is a current Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).  He and his wife, Dottie, have two children and reside in Northern California.

Chelsea Minor

Public Relations

Chelsea Minor is the Corporate Director of Public Affairs for Raley’s, an innovative, regional, family-owned grocery chain, operating in Northern California & Nevada. She serves as the spokeswoman for the organization, while developing and executing the company’s public affairs and brand reputation strategies. She manages Raley’s government relations and external partnerships. Minor started with Raley’s in 2015, managing the company’s external communication, including customer engagement, media relations, social media, sports marketing and community relations. Prior to Raley’s, Minor worked for KP Public Affairs, supporting California companies with public affairs and public relations services. Minor started in Sacramento politics as a fellow in the Jesse M. Unruh Assembly Fellowship Program and worked in the California State Assembly.

Minor graduated from California State University Stanislaus with a degree in Social Science and completed her Master’s in Business Administration for Executives at California State University Sacramento. 

Minor is the Chair of the West Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, Vice Chair of the Metro Chamber Political Action Committee and the public appointee for the California Cattle Council.

Helen Singmaster Hernandez

Legal

Helen Singmaster Hernandez serves as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. In this role Helen leads the company’s legal function and oversees the HIPAA Privacy Office.  She has deep expertise in corporate law, mergers and acquisition, real estate and privacy.   

Prior to joining Raley’s Helen worked as a business attorney at Downey Brand, where she handled a variety of complex transactions, including Raley’s acquisition of Nob Hill Foods.  Helen earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and obtained her law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School. Helen is a graduate of the Executive Program at UC Davis Extension and the Food Industry Executive Program at the USC Marshall School of Business. 

As a leader motivated by ethics, Helen believes success goes beyond following the law and depends on doing what is right.   

Helen, a mom, stepmom and abuela, shares her love of fine food, swimming and the great outdoors with her husband of over 15 years, Paul.