A considerable investment has been made in the Customs Leadership Institute (CLI). The CLI Program graduates should serve as role models to other classes as well as make contributions to the effective management of the Agency as Customs current and future leaders.

The alumni program was formed when the first CLI class graduated in December 2000 and now includes graduates of the second class (December 2001). The prevailing objectives of the alumni can be summed up in the concept of giving something back to the agency in return for Customs having given them the opportunities to learn, grow, and practice new skills, and enhance their networking skills as participants in the CLI program.

Since the graduations of these two CLI classes, participants have been engaged in a variety of tasks that contribute to Customs effectiveness. Some of the activities include:

• Instructing in classes for new supervisors and managers and preparing Customs case studies for use in these classes;
• Creating a new presentation, Managing Managers' Stress, designed to increase awareness of the impact of traumatic events on Customs employees and to develop management skills for supporting work groups in future traumatic situations;
• Implementing employee recognition programs to communicate the positive actions and events in peoples' lives;
• Introducing new initiatives in their offices as pilot sites; and
• Participating on screening panels for development programs and on cross-functional task forces.

On the job, alumni take their networking responsibilities seriously: they call upon each other to share information, request help for projects and tasks, brainstorm with each other, and ask for advice. At Headquarters, for example, alumni have "brown bag" lunch meetings once a month and use the time to reconnect with each other, catch up on the news, coach each other, and learn new skills.

Alumni convene for a two-day meeting twice a year. During these sessions, time is scheduled for training on a topic that meets the group's overall needs, for sharing information on new initiatives, and for initiating efforts that "give something back" to the organization.

The Customs Leadership Institute (CLI) is now an integral part of the leadership curriculum for those senior managers selected to participate in the Customs development programs that support succession management activities.