The role and responsibilities of the chair of an academic department in higher education is considered from the perspective of both actor and agent, within the context of the institution being served and the department being represented. The intent of this article is to further research on the role of department chair by analyzing it in the context of the institution's goals and expectations, the stakeholders affecting and affected by the department chair, and the chair's own capabilities. A 360-degree exploration of the role, expectations and competencies of department chairs was carried out at a private business university in the Northeast area of the USA, including both business and liberal arts department chairs. The results led to new development programs for incoming chairs as well as better supports for current chairs. The design of this project allowed for both the study of the role of department chair and the improvement of support mechanisms to be effective in that role. The design, data and analysis are presented, along with descriptive models. (Contains 4 figures and 2 notes.)