Ray Steele Jr. retired as publisher of The Fresno Bee in October 2008.

Mr. Steele grew up in Fresno County. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from California State University, Fresno, in 1968, and also was the editor of the university's newspaper. He was honored as the outstanding alumnus of the university's College of Arts and Humanities in 2005. Mr. Steele was the first inductee when the university's Mass Communication and Journalism Department established its Hall of Fame in 2008. He previously received the department's Jim Tucker Award for Outstanding Professional Achievement.

Mr. Steele, who worked on his high school newspaper and yearbook, began his career in newspapers sweeping floors, setting type, making "pigs" and later reporting and selling ads for the weekly newspaper in his hometown of Fowler. He started as a reporter with The Fresno Bee in 1967 while still in college.

He was metro editor of The Fresno Bee when he left to become administrative director of The Sacramento Bee and later publisher of The Sacramento Bee's community publications. He became general manager of The Fresno Bee in 1986, leaving in 1993 to join the corporate staff of The McClatchy Company, owner of The Bees and 28 other newspapers in the United States. He returned to Fresno as publisher in 2001.

Mr. Steele and his wife, Mary Lou, have two grown daughters who live in Fresno, four grandsons and a granddaughter.

Mr. Steele serves on the board of directors Western Camps Inc. and the Fresno Regional Foundation, and the board of governors of the California State University, Fresno, Foundation. He chairs the Industrial Park Committee of the Economic Development Corporation serving Fresno County. He previously served on the boards of directors of several community non-profit organizations.