If you’re entrepreneur and deal-doer Tom Petters, and you control a portfolio of around 25 operating companies posting revenue at a $2-billion-a-year run rate, what do you need? A seasoned chief operating officer. Mary Jeffries stepped into the COO role for the Minnetonka-headquartered holding company last August. She joined the Petters organization, whose consumer-oriented companies include Fingerhut and Polaroid, in May 2005. Being COO is not a new role for her; it’s a job she’s done for both St. Paul Venture Capital and public relations firm Shandwick International. Says Jeffries: “I’m helping bring operational discipline to all of our businesses, with accountability for focused strategy, operational excellence, and strong relationship management.” Petters cobbled together his group of operating companies; Jeffries will make sure everything hangs together.