The chief operating officer, once the eyes and ears for a CEO, is disappearing from many associations, a casualty of reorganization efforts and churn at the top of industry groups. And many leaders believe their organizations are better without them. At the top, a tier of senior management in specialized positions have replaced the role of the COO. And more often, it’s not uncommon to hear of a chief economist, a vice president of government relations, or a general counsel among the team of executive vice presidents who all report directly to the CEO. The disappearing No. 2 job reflects a distinct shift in organizational structure for many industry groups that have had a… Read More