Next Big Thing? Staff Alumni Associations

The New York Times carries an article today about LAFF - Life after the Ford Foundation - an "alumni" association for former staff of the foundation.

This cultivation of loyalty beyond academic environments is an interesting trend that I've been following. Elite employers have also been doing this for a while, including the Boston Consulting Group. There seem to be some eminently sensible reasons for doing this, including a wide network "brains trust" and assistance recruiting new staff.

How do you translate the principles of alumni relations practice into a corporate environment, especially around the areas of commercial confidence and rivalry? And of course not everyone is particularly interested in being a loyal alumnus of an ex-employer ... food for thought ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/26/us/26ford.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1196090241-tA/FJjIVv76zlgkRWoP0ew