Director

One who supervises, regulates, or controls.

A director is the head of an organization, either elected or appointed, who generally has certain powers and duties relating to management or administration. A corporation's board of directors is composed of a group of people who are elected by the shareholders to make important company policy decisions.

Director has been used synonymously with manager.

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director n. a member of the governing board of a corporation or association elected or re-elected at annual meetings of the shareholders or members. As a group the directors are responsible for the policy making, but not day-to-day operation, which is handled by officers and other managers. In some cases, a director may also be an officer, but need not be a shareholder. Most states require a minimum of three directors on corporate boards. Often lay people dealing with corporations confuse directors with officers. Officers are employees hired by the Board of Directors to manage the business. (See: corporation, board of directors)