Education has called shotgun once again, but my creative author spirit, albeit sulking in the rear passenger seat, cannot be defeated! My Business Organizations instructor challenged the class to come up with a creative way to recap the chapter we just read on corporate organization. He jokingly suggested writing an epic poem. Challenge accepted.

Directors are elected

By shareholders of the biz

But they can delegate to

Someone else who is a whiz

They owe a special duty

To the business and they can

Be liable for breaches

And their unauthorized acts

If they are employees

They don’t get extra pay

But directors who don’t work there

Do get paid for meeting days

Their terms may be staggered

So when it’s time to re-elect,

They don’t have to start over,

A whole new board isn’t picked

The meetings are important,

A quorum must be met

But votes may now be counted

On the phone or from the ‘net

The board keeps corporate minutes

In a corporate minute book

In case a corporate officer

Ever wants to have a look

Officers are agents

Who get elected by directors

A CEO, a treasurer,

Or VP of some sector

A shareholder owns stock

And may have pre-emptive rights

To buy more shares of stock

Before the public sets their sights

Shareholders have meetings, too,

At least once every year

For an action to be taken,

A quorum must be present here

They may vote by a proxy

Or unanimous consent

On things like new directors

Or a bylaw amendment

A shareholder agreement

May be made upon a death

To offer an assurance

Of who the stock stays with

A lawsuit may be brought

By a shareholder or class

For breach or torts or voting rights

…So cover your corporate ass(ets)!