The grocery business is in Michael Teel’s blood. As the grandson of Raley’s founder, Tom Raley, and the son of Raley’s second-generation leaders, Joyce Raley Teel and Jim Teel, he learned the grocery business from an early age. Today, he leads the largest family-owned company in the Greater Sacramento area with a sense of enthusiasm for the business and responsibility to the communities Raley’s serves.

With his passion for empowering people to make sustainable and healthy food choices, Teel leads the company of 11,000 team members and 121 stores with a vision to infuse life with health and happiness by changing the way the world eats, one plate at a time. He is committed to delivering a personalized customer experience, inspiring team member engagement and supporting long-term family ownership.

Teel started with Raley’s bagging groceries. After earning his bachelor’s in business administration from Whittier College, he became a store manager. He later led innovations in the Bakery and the company’s Bay Area expansion. In the 1990’s, he worked alongside executives, which prepared him for his senior leadership progression: Chief Operating Officer in 1995, President in 1996 and Chief Executive Officer in 1998. In 2002, Teel left the company to pursue independent business ventures, returning in 2010 as President & CEO.

In 2015, the family decided to transition majority ownership of the company to Teel, with a goal of long-term family ownership. Teel is involved as a Board Member of the Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council, a group of regional CEOs working to retain, attract, grow and create sustainable businesses.