Organizer
Definition
The Organizer of an LLC is the individual or company that signs and files the Articles of Organization with the state to legally create the business. The organizer's role is purely administrative. Once the state approves the LLC, the organizer's duties end completely.
Why it matters
Many new business owners confuse the term "Organizer" with "Member" (owner). An organizer does not own any part of the LLC and has no legal authority to manage the business. If you form the LLC yourself, you will act as both the Organizer and the Member. However, if you hire an attorney or an LLC formation service (like LegalZoom or Northwest), an employee of that company will act as your Organizer and sign the documents on your behalf.
Example
Sarah pays a formation service $100 to set up her LLC. An employee named "David Smith" fills out the paperwork and signs it as the Organizer. When Sarah gets her approved documents back from the state, she sees David Smith's name on them. Sarah does not need to worry; David is just the Organizer who filed the paperwork. Sarah is the actual Member (owner) of the company.