Which Category Does Founder and President Belong To in Org Taxonomy?
“Founder” belongs in an ownership or governance category. “President” belongs in the executive, or senior leadership, category. That is the short answer. A founder title tells people how a company started. A president title tells people what job someone holds today.
This matters when you build an org chart, clean up HR records, or sort leads in a CRM. Many people get stuck because “Founder” sounds like a job, but it works more like a label. Let’s clear it up in simple steps.
Quick Answer: In most org taxonomies, “Founder” is an ownership or status tag, not a job level. “President” is an executive officer role and fits in the senior leadership or C-suite level. If someone is both, save two fields: one for the founder tag and one for the executive title.
What Is an Org Taxonomy?
An org taxonomy is a simple system for sorting people and roles. It puts job titles into groups, such as level, department, or type of role.
Companies use it in many places:
- HR systems and employee records
- Org charts
- CRM tools and lead lists
- Reports on who holds which role
There is no single rulebook that every company follows. Government job codes, business tools, and internal HR teams often group titles in their own ways. So the best taxonomy is the one that is clear, consistent, and fits your goal.
Tip: Before you sort any title, write down why you are sorting it. A taxonomy for payroll looks different from one for sales targeting.
Which Category Does Founder and President Belong To in Org Taxonomy?
The two titles belong in different places because they describe different things.
| Title | Best category | What it describes |
| Founder | Ownership / Governance (a tag) | How the person is tied to the company’s start |
| President | Executive / Senior Leadership | The job the person does now |
Where Does “Founder” Fit?
A founder is someone who helped start the company. That is a fact about history, not a place on the ladder. A founder might be the CEO today. Another founder might have left the company years ago.
Because of this, “Founder” works best as an extra tag on a person’s record. Think of it like a sticker, not a seat on the org chart.
Founders also often act as owners. But owner and founder are not always the same thing. Someone can own a company without starting it, and someone can start it without owning much of it.
Where Does “President” Fit?
A president is an officer role. It sits in the executive group, near the top of the company.
Where exactly it sits depends on the organization. In many U.S. corporations, the president is the second-highest officer under the CEO. In some organizations, such as many nonprofits, the president may be the top leader. Company bylaws usually set the rules.
Tip: When you are unsure how high a president ranks, check the company’s bylaws or its “leadership” page. Do not guess from the title alone.
Why “Founder and President” Confuses So Many Teams
Most sorting problems come from real, everyday issues. Here are the common ones people face.
The Main User Pain Points
- Ambiguity. People ask, “Is Founder a job title or a status?” It is closer to a status.
- Inconsistent data. Titles like “Founder & President,” “Co-Founder/CEO,” and “Founding Partner” do not fit standard dropdown lists.
- President vs. CEO confusion. Who outranks whom changes by company type, location, and bylaws.
- Seniority mapping for lead scoring. Sales and marketing teams must group people as C-level, VP, Director, or Manager. Founders do not fit neatly.
- Compound titles. One person with two titles does not fit one box in many HR systems.
- No universal standard. Different tools and systems sort titles differently.
- Legal vs. functional roles. Officer roles, like President, Secretary, and Treasurer, get mixed up with day-to-day jobs.
- Startup vs. enterprise differences. A title at a five-person startup can mean something very different at a huge company.
Why Compound Titles Cause Trouble
A record that says “Founder and President” holds two ideas in one field. A database cannot sort one field into two categories. The fix is to split the idea into separate fields, which we cover below.
Tip: If your system only allows one title field, add a second field for tags. It takes minutes and saves hours of cleanup later.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Classify Founder and President Titles
Follow these steps to sort the titles cleanly.
Step 1: Split the Title
Separate the status from the position. “Founder and President” becomes two parts: Founder (status) and President (position).
Step 2: Tag the Founder Status
Add a simple yes/no tag, such as “founder: yes.” Use the same tag for co-founders, or add one more tag for them. Pick one method and stick with it.
Step 3: Place the Position in a Level
Move “President” into your executive or senior leadership level. If your list has a “C-suite” group, many teams place presidents there. Make that choice once and write it down.
Step 4: Pick a Function
Sort the role by work area, such as general management, operations, or sales. A president who runs the whole company fits general management.
Step 5: Check the Company Type
Look at whether it is a startup, a large corporation, a nonprofit, or a school. The same title can sit at a different height in each one.
Step 6: Write the Rule Down
Add your choice to a short style guide. Then everyone who edits the data will sort titles the same way.
Tip: Test your rule on ten real titles from your own list. If three of them break the rule, fix the rule first.
My Advice: Keep Status and Position Apart
My advice is to treat “Founder” as a tag every time. I have found that this one habit removes most of the mess. Once status and position live in separate fields, titles like “Co-Founder and CEO” stop being a problem.
I would also avoid adding a brand-new category just for founders. It looks tidy at first. But it breaks reports later, because a founder who is also a CEO then shows up in the wrong group.
Start simple. You can always add detail later, but it is hard to undo a messy structure.
Tip: Review your title rules once or twice a year. Companies change, and your taxonomy should keep up.
Common Problems or Mistakes
Treating Founder as a Rank
Founder is not a level like Director or Manager. Putting it on the ladder makes your data confusing.
Fix: Move it to a tag field.
Assuming the President Is Always Number Two
Some presidents report to a CEO. Others are the top leader. Assuming one pattern can place people in the wrong level.
Fix: Check the organization type and its bylaws or leadership page.
Forcing One Box for Two Titles
Squashing “Founder and President” into one value hides useful details.
Fix: Keep two fields, one for the tag and one for the position.
Mixing Legal Officers With Everyday Roles
President, Secretary, and Treasurer can be legal officer roles. They may not match a person’s daily work.
Fix: Track the officer role and the working role separately when it matters.
Ignoring Company Size
A founder at a tiny startup may do every job. A president at a big firm may lead one part of the business.
Fix: Add a company size field so you can read titles in context.
Tip: Run a quick search for titles with “&,” “/,” or “and.” Those are the records most likely to need a fix.
Helpful Tips
- Use plain labels. Names like “Executive” and “Ownership tag” are easy for any teammate to understand.
- Keep one source of truth. Store your rules in one shared document.
- Do not rely only on the title. A short look at a company page or profile can show who really leads.
- Plan for odd titles. Founding Partner, Managing Director, and Owner will show up. Decide in advance where each one goes.
- Think about regions. Titles can vary between countries. Since this guide focuses on the United States, check local norms if your data includes other regions.
- Keep it simple for sales teams. If you score leads, add a clear seniority level so reps do not have to decode titles.
Tip: Save a small “edge cases” list. When a new odd title shows up, add it, and you will never debate it twice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tip: These answers are general guidance. Always follow your own company’s bylaws and policies for official records.
1.Is “Founder” a job title or a status?
It is mostly a status. It tells people who started the company. Many founders also hold a working title, like CEO or President.
2.Is a President higher than a CEO?
Not always. In many U.S. corporations, the CEO ranks above the president. In other organizations, the president is the top leader. Bylaws decide.
3.Is “Founder and President” considered C-suite?
Often, yes. The president part usually falls in senior leadership. The founder part is a tag and does not change the level.
4.How should I tag founders in a CRM or HRIS?
Add a separate yes/no field for founder status. Keep the executive title in its own field.
5.What is the difference between Founder, Co-Founder, and Owner?
A founder started the company. A co-founder started it with others. An owner holds ownership. One person can be all three, or only one.
6.Which department does a founder belong to?
A founder belongs to the department of their current role. A founder who runs the company fits general management.
7.Are founders employees, executives, or owners?
They can be any mix of the three. That is why a single tag is not enough, and why separate fields work better.
Conclusion
So, which category does founder and president belong to in org taxonomy? Founder is best stored as an ownership or governance tag. President belongs in the executive or senior leadership level. Keep them in separate fields, and most of the confusion goes away.
Your next step is simple. Pick five real titles from your own list, split them into status and position, and apply the steps above. Then write your rules down so your whole team can follow them.
About the Author:
MUHAMMAD AHMAD
SEO Specialist
Founder & Owner Of TechXora.org and CareerZon.org
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