Mr. Blagojevich's transition director, David Wilhelm, has wielded a knife over Illinois's $88 million, 14,000-automobile fleet and its 460-plus boards and commissions.

The tastefulness of this new stadium was supervised by David M. Meehan, the facility manager, and Suzanne Maguire, the transition director.

Ten months before the deal was completed, each firm assigned four executives to a merger integration team, which in turn named Mr. Hadfield as its global transition director.

"Can you imagine what it was like being Dan Quayle's transition director?"

The process would be overseen by several transition directors, whom Mr. Spitzer would announce after the election.

Warren Christopher, Bill Clinton's transition director, meanwhile spoke from a very different perspective.

Another mentor, Warren M. Christopher, the transition director and Mr. Clinton's choice to be secretary of state, played a crucial role in her selection.

"When I took this job, I told the search committee, that I view myself as a transition director," he said.

After the 1992 presidential election, Browner served as transition director for Vice President-elect Gore.