diff --git a/database/Partner.ts b/database/Partner.ts
index f5022f7..d84a9f0 100644
--- a/database/Partner.ts
+++ b/database/Partner.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { prop, getModelForClass } from "@typegoose/typegoose";
+import { prop, getModelForClass, Ref } from "@typegoose/typegoose";
 import Member from "./Member";
 
 /* TODO
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ export default class Partner implements SharedMemberAttributes {
   @prop({ required: true })
   public title: PartnerTitle | "Partner" | undefined;
 
-  @prop()
+  @prop({ ref: () => Partner })
   //
-  public directReport: Partner | string | undefined;
+  public directReport?: Ref<Partner> | string | undefined;
 
   @prop()
   // this field dictates if the partner is able to perform developer commands, such as "eval"
diff --git a/util/MemberUtil.ts b/util/MemberUtil.ts
index 9b7bf2e..dbd182b 100644
--- a/util/MemberUtil.ts
+++ b/util/MemberUtil.ts
@@ -8,13 +8,14 @@ import Partner, {
 import Member, { MemberAdditionalAcknowledgement, MemberModel } from "../database/Member";
 import { Client, GuildMember, User } from "discord.js";
 import { guildID } from "../config.json";
+import { Ref } from "@typegoose/typegoose";
 
 export interface PartnerOptions {
   roleType: PartnerRoleType;
   commissionType: PartnerCommissionType;
   department: PartnerDepartment;
   title: PartnerTitle;
-  directReport: Partner | string;
+  directReport: Ref<Partner>;
 }
 
 export interface FormatNameOptions {
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ export interface FormatNameOptions {
 // TODO: Add the rest of the remaining role configurations
 export const PartnerDiscordRoleMap = {
   // Director of Engineering, Management, Staff, Technician, Core Team, Play Caller
-  "Director of Engineering": [
+  Engineering: [
     "1077646568091570236",
     "1077646956890951690",
     "446104438969466890",
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ export const PartnerDiscordRoleMap = {
     "1014978134573064293",
   ],
   // Director of Operations, Management, Staff, Moderator, Core Team, Play Caller
-  "Director of Operations": [
+  Operations: [
     "1077647072163020840",
     "1077646956890951690",
     "446104438969466890",
@@ -79,40 +80,4 @@ export default class MemberUtil {
       { $push: { additionalAcknowledgement: acknowledgement } }
     );
   }
-
-  // TODO: comments and extended formatting
-  public static formatName(
-    target: GuildMember | User,
-    partner?: Partner | null
-  ): FormatNameOptions {
-    console.log(
-      `[MemberUtil] Formatting name for ${target.displayName} at url ${target instanceof GuildMember ? target.user.displayAvatarURL() : target.displayAvatarURL()}`
-    );
-    // if the role type is managerial, add a [k] to the end of the name
-    // if the partner exists, set the iconURL to the organizational logo
-    if (partner?.roleType == PartnerRoleType.MANAGERIAL) {
-      return {
-        text: `${target.displayName} [k]`,
-        iconURL: target.displayAvatarURL(),
-      };
-    } else if (partner?.commissionType == PartnerCommissionType.CONTRACTUAL) {
-      // if the commission type is contractual, add a [c] to the end of the name
-      return {
-        text: `${target.displayName} [c]`,
-        iconURL:
-          target instanceof GuildMember
-            ? target.user.displayAvatarURL()
-            : target.displayAvatarURL(),
-      };
-    } else {
-      // otherwise, just set the author to the member's display name
-      return {
-        text: target.displayName,
-        iconURL:
-          target instanceof GuildMember
-            ? target.user.displayAvatarURL()
-            : target.displayAvatarURL(),
-      };
-    }
-  }
 }