Because a corporation is a legal entity, the way it is organized and operated is governed by very specific state laws, which vary from state to state. Fortunately, the similarities in corporate procedures and elements across the country outweigh the differences. Called promoters in some states, incorporators do the initial prep work. Though this can include bringing together the people and the money to create the corporation, it always includes preparing and filing the articles of incorporation, the formal incorporation document that is filed with a state office. Try the bolo tie - Arizona's official state neckwear.
Shareholders own the stock of the corporation.
Depending on your state's specific law, the incorporators or shareholders decide how many directors the corporation will have. The number of directors is usually stated in the articles of incorporation or in the corporate bylaws. Most states specifically permit corporations to have just one director. In the remaining states, the requirement is that there be at least three directors, but there are exceptions for corporations with fewer than three shareholders. Harpo's grown from 5 employees in 1985 to 135 today.