There are two answers to this:

#1) High Directors in U.S. Government

tiveOfficials entitled to be addressed as ‘the Honorable (Full Name)’ are elected in a general election or individually appointed to office by the President (POTUS) and approved by the Senate. The ‘Director of the Office of Management and Budget’  falls into the latter category and is ‘the Honorable’.

tiveThese directors and their deputy directors are ‘the Honorable’. Other agencies which have ‘the Honorable’ directors include: Director of the National Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Office of National Drug Control Policy, and the National Counterterrorism Center. There could be others, so if you are unsure call their office and ask their staff.

tive‘Director’ is not formally used in writing as an honorific. You will hear ‘Director (Name)” often used in the media and informally around their agency. ‘Director (Name)’ works anytime there is a need to emphasize the office the person holds, and there is a concern that not everyone will know who is who?

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

—-Envelope or address block on letter or email::
—-—-The Honorable (Full Name)
—-—-Director
—-—-(Name of Agency)
—-—-(Address)

—-In an introduction, or in a program, identify after their name as:
—-—-Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (Full Name), Director of the (Name of Agency)

—-In conversation or a salutation are addressed as:
—-—-Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (Surname)

Former ‘directors’ are not ‘Director (Name)’. Being a director is a role one inhabits – not a rank one attains and holds.

#2) Directors of Private Institutions

—-Envelope or address block on letter or email:
—-—-Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (Full Name)
—-—-(Name of Institution)
—-—-(Address)

—-In an introduction, or in a program:
—-—-Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (Full Name), Director of the (Name of Institution)

—-In conversation or a salutation:
—-—-Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (Surname)

Sometimes when it is desirable to identify the person’s role you hear “Director (Surname) will be here in 20 minutes” or  “We should seat ‘Director (Surname) at the head table”.   But, written address as Director (Name) is not the norm.

– Robert Hickey

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

When Should You Use the Forms on this Page?

You can use these forms of address for any mode of communication: addressing a letter, invitation, card or Email. (If there are differences between the official and social forms of address, I will have mentioned the different forms.)  The form noted in the salutation is the same form you say when you say their name in conversation or when you greet them.
___What I don’t cover on this site are many things I do cover in my book: all the rules of forms of address, about names, international titles, precedence, complimentary closes, details on invitations, place cards, all sorts of introductions, etc. I hope you’ll get a copy of the book if you’d like the further detail.

Not Finding Your Answer?

—-#1)  At right on desktops, at the bottom of every page on tablets and phones, is a list of all the offices, officials & topics covered on the site.

—-#2)  If you don’t see the official you seek included or your question answered send me an e-mail. I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day or so (unless I am traveling.)  Note: I don’t have mailing or Email addresses for any of the officials and I don’t keep track of offices that exist only in history books.

—-#3)  If I think your question is of interest to others, Sometimes I post the question  – but always change all the specifics.

— Robert Hickey 

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

Recommended Resources:  The Protocol School of Washington (PSOW) and Protocol and Diplomacy International – Protocol Officers Association (PDI-POA)    For more information see the Protocol Resources page.