Legal Definitions - primary officer

A primary officer is a person who holds an office of trust, authority, or command. This term is often used to refer to a person holding public office under a national, state, or local government, and authorized by that government to exercise some specific function. In corporate law, the term refers to a person elected or appointed by the board of directors to manage the daily operations of a corporation, such as a CEO, president, secretary, or treasurer.

For example, the CEO of a company is a primary officer because they are responsible for managing the daily operations of the corporation. Similarly, the governor of a state is a primary officer because they are authorized by the state government to exercise specific functions, such as signing bills into law.

It is important to note that a primary officer may have subordinate officers who report to them and assist in carrying out their duties. However, the primary officer is ultimately responsible for the actions of their subordinates.