Authority figures in wrestling

This list brings together authority figures — people who hold on-screen power — in selected professional wrestling promotions or brands within North America. The North American wrestling industry portrays authority figures as responsible for making matches, providing rules and generally keeping law and order both in and outside of the ring. The role can vary according to disposition. A face authority figure tends to give what the fans want and favors fellow face-wrestlers: note for example Theodore Long. Heel authority figures tend to run their shows out of their own self-interest: Vince McMahon's Mr. McMahon gimmick exemplifies this type.

World Wrestling Entertainment authority figures
Upon splitting the WWE into two separate brands in the WWE Brand Extension of 2002, on-screen co-owners Vince McMahon and Ric Flair proceeded to draft WWE wrestlers into two separate rosters. Flair took ownership of "Raw", while McMahon controlled "SmackDown". After McMahon regained control of the entire company, he removed Flair from control of "Raw", relinquished his own position, and appointed separate General Managers to control the various brands.

Presidents (CEO)

 * Willie Gilzenberg (1963-1978)
 * Hisashi Shinma (1978-1984)
 * Jack Tunney (September 1984 - July 12, 1995)
 * Gorilla Monsoon (1995 - 1997) (Interim from July 1995 to March 1996 where he was made official president.)
 * Roddy Piper (1996) (substitution for an injured Gorilla Monsoon.)
 * Linda McMahon (1998-1999)
 * Steve Austin (June 7, 1999 - June 27, 1999) (kayfabe appointed CEO by Linda McMahon, subsequently lost power in a ladder match at King of the Ring.)
 * Linda McMahon (2000 - 2009 (In real life, Linda McMahon has served on the board of directors for WWE since 1980; her husband Vince McMahon appointed her to the position of CEO in 1994 during the WWF steroid scandal.)
 * Vince McMahon (2009 -

Commissioners

 * Sgt. Slaughter (August 4, 1997 - November 23, 1998)
 * Shawn Michaels (November 23, 1998 - June 26, 2000)
 * Mick Foley (June 26, 2000 - December 18, 2000; October 11, 2001 - November 19, 2001)
 * Debra - "Lt. Commissioner" - (October 30, 2000 - December 18, 2000)
 * Debra (December 18, 2000 - March 8, 2001).
 * William Regal (March 8, 2001 - October 11, 2001)

Owners

 * Ric Flair (November 19, 2001 - June 10, 2002)
 * Vince McMahon (June 10, 2002 - June 15, 2009)
 * Donald Trump (June 15, 2009 - June 22, 2009)
 * Vince McMahon (June 22, 2009 - present)

General managers

 * Eric Bischoff (July 15, 2002 - December 5, 2005), (November 6, 2006) 4
 * Chief Morley - Chief of Staff (November 25, 2002 - May 5, 2003)
 * Steve Austin - co-general manager (April 28, 2003 - November 16, 2003), (December 29, 2003 - March 29, 2004: self-proclaimed Sheriff with full GM Powers)
 * Mick Foley co-general manager (December 1, 2003 - December 15, 2003)
 * Vince McMahon - Interim GM (December 12, 2005 - May 29, 2006)1
 * Jonathan Coachman (January 19, 2004) 7, Executive Assistant/Interim GM (May 29, 2006 - August 6, 2007) 3
 * William Regal (July 2, 2007), (August 6, 2007 - May 19, 2008) 2
 * Jonathan Coachman - Executive Assistant (August 6, 2007 - January 4, 2008) 3
 * Mike Adamle (July 28, 2008 - November 3, 2008)
 * Stephanie McMahon (November 24, 2008 - April 6, 2009) 5
 * Vickie Guerrero (April 6, 2009 - June 8, 2009) 6

1 McMahon had functioned as interim General Manager, taking over pending the filling of the vacant position. On May 29, 2006, Vince said he would not fill the position, instead making Jonathan Coachman his Executive Assistant, which carries the same powers as a General Manager. Officially named as Acting General Manager on June 19, 2007 following Vince McMahon's limo incident.

2 Executive Assistant and Acting General Manager Jonathan Coachman placed William Regal in charge for the night while he took a vacation; Regal won the job full-time when he won a battle royal on the August 6, 2007 edition of "Raw", Regal was fired from the post on May 19, 2008 after losing a match to Mr. Kennedy.

3 Coachman filled in as Acting General Manager from September 3 to October 1, 2007 while Regal recovered from an attack by John Cena.

4 Mr. McMahon granted Bischoff General Manager powers for one night after the refereeing job he did at Cyber Sunday 2006.

5 Mike Adamle resigned from the General Manager post on November 3, 2008 following a confrontation with Randy Orton. Stephanie McMahon then took direct control of "Raw".

6 The Board of Directors named Vickie Guerrero as interim General Manager on February 23, 2009 while Stephanie McMahon recovered from an RKOfrom Randy Orton. On April 6, 2009, the Board of Directors gave her the choice of becoming permanent General Manager of either "Raw" or "SmackDown"; she chose "Raw". She resigned on June 8, 2009, sick of repeatedly suffering humiliation.

Temporary General Managers

 * Steve Austin (co-general manager) (April 28, 2003 - November 16, 2003), (December 29, 2003 - March 29, 2004: self-proclaimed Sheriff with full GM Powers)
 * Mick Foley (co-general manager) (December 1, 2003 - December 15, 2003)
 * Stevie Richards (Self Proclaimed) GM of Heat (July 13, 2003 - September 25, 2003)
 * Theodore Long (January 5, 2004) 7
 * Eugene (July 5, 2004) 7
 * Maven (November 15, 2004) 8
 * Chris Benoit (November 22, 2004) 8
 * Randy Orton (November 29, 2004) 8, (March 10, 2008) 12
 * Chris Jericho (December 6, 2004) 8 (October 6, 2008) 13
 * Spirit Squad (May 1, 2006) 9
 * D-Generation X (October 2, 2006) 10
 * Michael Peña (April 9, 2007) 11
 * John Cena (March 3, 2008) 12
 * Triple H (March 17, 2008) 13

7 Eric Bischoff made them General Managers of Raw for one night only.

8 The four had a one-time-only opportunity at General Manager when their team won at Survivor Series 2004, while full-time General Manager Eric Bischoff took a vacation.

9 Mr. McMahon made all five members of the Spirit Squad co-general managers for one night, due to their help in his match against Shawn Michaels at Backlash 2006.

10 DX took over Raw for the night after they put Jonathan Coachman in a garbage bin and wheeled him away.

11 Make-a-Wish Foundation service with Mick Foley.

12 GM Regal granted each of the participants in the WrestleMania XXIV WWE Championship Triple Threat Match the right to book matches for themselves and their opponents, with control rotating over 3 weeks.

13 When called away to a meeting with Shane and Stephanie McMahon, Mike Adamle named Chris Jericho as Acting General Manager for the night.

Owners

 * Vince McMahon (March 18, 2002 - Present)

General managers

 * Stephanie McMahon (July 18, 2002 - October 19, 2003)
 * Paul Heyman (October 23, 2003 - March 22, 2004)
 * Kurt Angle (March 25, 2004 - July 22, 2004)
 * Theodore Long (July 29, 2004 - September 21, 2007)
 * Vickie Guerrero - Assistant GM (May 18, 2007 - September 21, 2007)
 * Vickie Guerrero (September 28, 2007 - April 6, 2009)
 * Theodore Long - Assistant GM (November 30, 2007 - May 16, 2008)
 * Theodore Long (April 7, 2009 - )

1 Guerrero had served as Assistant General Manager since May 18, 2007. Vince McMahon promoted her to General Manager on September 28, 2007 following Theodore Long's kayfabe heart attack.

2 Long returned to SmackDown! on November 30, 2007. Upon returning, Long was named as Guerrero's assistant. Long resigned from the post on May 16, 2008.

3 Long returned to SmackDown as General Manager following Vickie Guerrero's appointment as General Manager of Raw.

Miscellaneous authority figures

 * Palmer Canon (Network Representative on SmackDown!) (August 25, 2005 - April 20, 2006)

Temporary General Managers

 * The Big Show (October 3, 2008)

4 Big Show filled in for Vickie Guerrero while she recovered from a tombstone from The Undertaker.

Owners

 * Vince McMahon (June 7, 2006 - Present)

General managers

 * Paul Heyman (under the title of ECW Representative) (June 13, 2006 - December 4, 2006)
 * Armando Estrada (August 14, 2007 - June 3, 2008)
 * Theodore Long (June 3, 2008 - April 7, 2009)
 * Tiffany - Assistant GM (June 10, 2008 - April 7, 2009)
 * Tiffany (April 7, 2009 - ) 1

1 The Board of Directors named Tiffany Interim General Manager when Theodore Long announced his return to SmackDown as General Manager following Vickie Guerrero's appointment as General Manager of Raw. She became permanent General Manager on June 30, 2009.

Temporary General Managers

 * William Regal (Sept. 29, 2009)

2 ECW GM Tiffany was unavailable due to being involved in a car crash.

Commissioners

 * Kip Allen Frey (Late 1991 - Early 1992)
 * Bill Watts (Early 1992 - Early 1993)
 * Nick Bockwinkel (January 27, 1994 - June 18, 1995)
 * J.J. Dillon (April 21, 1997 - January 3, 2000)
 * Terry Funk (January 3, 2000 - January 16, 2000)
 * Kevin Nash (January 16, 2000 - February, 2000)
 * Ernest Miller (May 31, 2000 - October 29, 2000; January 14, 2001 - February 12, 2001; February 18, 2001 - February 26, 2001)
 * Mike Sanders (October 29, 2000 - January 14, 2001)
 * Lance Storm (February 12, 2001 - February 18, 2001)
 * William Regal (Alliance Commissioner) (October 15, 2001 - November 18, 2001)

Temporary/Honorary Commissioners

 * Jeff Jarrett (January 31, 2000 - February 9, 2000)

On-screen presidents

 * Eric Bischoff (November 1996 - December 28, 1998)
 * Ric Flair (December 28, 1998 - July 19, 1999; October 30, 2000 - March 26, 2001)

On-screen owners

 * Shane McMahon (March 26, 2001 - November 19, 2001)

1 This occurred during The Invasion storyline.

2 Appointed acting Commissioner by Kevin Nash while Nash was out with injury.

3 Sting defeated Ric Flair for the presidency July 19, but didn't take the job because he just wanted Flair out of the position rather than wanting the power for himself.

Directors of Authority
The Director of Authority operated as the on-screen authority-figure for the company.


 * Erik Watts (July 23, 2003 - January 28, 2004)
 * Don Callis (January 28, 2004 - February 4, 2004)
 * Jeff Jarrett (February 11, 2004 - February 18, 2004)
 * Vince Russo (February 18, 2004 - November 7, 2004)
 * Dusty Rhodes (November 7, 2004 - June 17, 2005)

NWA Championship Committee
TNA Wrestling also maintains a championship committee — established in 2004 to help the Director of Authority book matches and keep contenders in proper order. The committee members also served as guest judges for TNA Impact! when broadcast by Fox Sports Net, as all matches had a time limit and if the match went to time, the judge had to make the call as to who won (somewhat as in boxing).

The committee consisted of:


 * Dusty Rhodes (founder, original member, November 2004 - June 2005)
 * Harley Race (original member, November 2004 - ???)
 * Terry Funk (original member, November 2004 - March 2005)
 * Funk never appeared on-screen in TNA.
 * Roddy Piper (replacement for Funk, March 2005 - ???)
 * Larry Zbyszko (original member, November 2004 - 2006)

Executive Shareholder

 * Mick Foley (October 23, 2008 - )

Management Director

 * Jim Cornette (July 16, 2006 - May 21, 2009)
 * Matt Morgan - Bodyguard/Enforcer (August 9, 2007 - April 10, 2008)
 * Traci Brooks - Knockouts Division Commissioner (August 28, 2008 - 2009)

ROH Ambassador

 * Ric Flair (April 25, 2009 - May 30, 2009)