Michael James Cleary (September 23, 1877 – February 21, 1947) was an American lawyer, insurance executive, and Republican politician from Lafayette County, Wisconsin.

[3][5] During World War I, he organized a "far reaching and effective food conservation campaign" with a "corps of 125 insurance agents.

"[6] In 1919, he assumed the presidency of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company.

Their eldest daughter, Catherine Blanchard Cleary, was a pioneer woman in business, graduating from the University of Wisconsin Law School and serving as the first female board member of General Motors, AT&T, Kraft Foods, Northwestern Mutual, and Kohler Co. After the 1952 United States presidential election, she challenged president-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower to appoint a woman as Treasurer of the United States.

Eisenhower responded by appointing Ivy Baker Priest, and then named Cleary as assistant treasurer.