Now, in an apparent effort to either save a high-end salary or pacify activist boardrooms that want leaner and meaner organizations, the once-coveted Chief Operating Officer (COO) position appears to be headed for the managerial dustbin of history. Yet, even while traditional COO duties are frequently meted out to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) these days, many corporations still want their top banana to have the operational chops to run the business.