Don

From The Godfather Wiki

The Don, or Boss, is the head of a crime family who controls all the operations. The head of the family, usually reigning as a dictator, sometimes called the don or "godfather". He commands a variety of underlings, the Caporegimes, the Soldatis and the Enforcers. In the Chicago Outfit, the Don is really a fallguy puppet, as the real boss in the family is actually the consigliere. The Boss receives a cut of every operation taken on by every member of his family. Depending on the family, the Boss may be chosen by a vote from the Caporegimes of the family. In the event of a tie, the Underboss(es) must vote. In the past, all the members of a family voted on the Boss, but by the late 1950s, any gathering such as that usually attracted too much attention. In other families, the Don chooses his successor.