Jim Custer Email & Phone Number

Washington, Dc, Us

Pentagon

Direct and manage two think tanks supporting the Secretary of the Navy:One focuses on highly technical advice/studies and another covers broad topics including strategy, management, leadership, organizational behavior, policies, dealing with the legislative branch. These executive panels of distinguished citizens representing industry, finance, government, Hollywood, S&T research laboratories, and academia provide the Secretary with best-practices for the Department of the Navy.

Pentagon

Director for a team of six analysts providing evaluations of the incorporation of new concepts + R&D into the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. Deep-dives evaluated planning, budgeting, and compared forecast demands and challenges with planned procurement and training, and expected operations.

Pentagon

Director for a team of seven analysts providing assessments of and recommendations for current and forecast readiness of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. "Readiness" is a core product of the Navy and Marine Corps and involves personnel, training, equipment, planning, maintenance, funding, policy, procurement, and operations. Analysis involved over 500,000 people and ships, submarines, airplanes, satellites, logistics, ground and Special Forces.

Pentagon

Developed and provided the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs with a "stress test" answering the posture and expected performance of the 1M Reserve component service members plus equipment. I.e., While the seven Reserve components were deeply entrenched fighting two wars, what would be America's real-life challenges and capabilities to surge in response a third challenge? This study involved a team of 52: contractors, service members, and federal workers.

Pentagon

Managed a portfolio 25 family readiness and veterans’ programs, $300 million budget, serving a population of 200,000. Worked with Congress, White House, and Department of Defense to change two laws - and develop and coordinate programs and policy such as:• Delivered 18-30% increase in effectiveness of services to 5 million clients. Using Total Quality Management, completely overhauled $5 billion budget, for 120 programs, that supported families. Developed performance measures of effectiveness, eliminated redundancies, rewarded merit. • At no additional cost to taxpayers, developed a web of support services supporting 5 million people. The White House “Joining Forces” Program identified the interests of groups and, using strategic communications, formed a nationwide cadre of companies, communities, and government agencies benefiting America’s military families.• Negotiated the arrangement whereby state governors are now granting military family members reciprocity for professional state licenses and credentials.

Pentagon

Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve AffairsProvided the oversight for $27 billion National Guard and Reserve Equipment Appropriations - a portfolio of 250 acquisition and modernization programs - supporting 1.2 million personnel and worldwide operations: planning, authorizations, appropriations, procurement, tracking, and delivery. Also, managed oversight of all existing Reserve component equipment, valued at $174 billion. Presided over policy and legislative initiatives. Provided testimony and gained Congressional approval for program adjustments. • Dramatically simplified the process for delivering newly developed equipment to meet emergent needs. Using Six Sigma, cut 32 steps from the process and 9 months from customer waiting time.• Created innovative solutions to decades-old problems. Established trust and formed unlikely alliances resulting in 8% more customer equipment – delivered faster to - than the system had been expected or designed to allow. Saved lives.• Rebalanced Department of Defense strategies supporting national interests and security threats. Co-authored “Quadrennial Defense Review” posture, reform, & reshaping of America’s military.

Carlisle, Pa

Curriculum focus: Writing national-level strategy in complex environments, critical thinking and decision-making, foreign affairs and the application of diplomacy, information resources, military power, and economic leveraging. Personal research: Designing a pathway to national energy independence.

Willow Grove, Pa

Accountable for operations, administration, training, safety, logistics, maintenance, and aircrew. Managed $64 million budget + 6 aircraft, equipment, and facilities valued at $270 million. Balanced simultaneous front-line, overseas deployment and base closure while leading 360 personnel. • Squadron won the competition as “Best in the Navy” for anti-submarine/anti-surface mission.• Saved the government $56 million in recruiting and training - and developed fiercely loyal employees. 140 personnel were to be laid off. Instead, found 100% jobs internal to the company.

New Orleans

Managed this intelligence, surveillence, reconnaissanse collection (ISR), anti-submarine warfare, and counter-narcotic program of 13 P-3 squadrons performing continuous worldwide operations, 2500 personnel, 49 aircraft and equipment valued $2.4 billion, safely flew 14,000 annual flight hours. Developed policy, strategy and operational plans. Budgeted $334 million of personnel, training, operations, maintenance, life-cycle management costs. • Among the earliest of leaders whom promoted unmanned aerial vehicles – drones - into naval aviation, wrote and presented (to senior Pentagon leaders) proofs of concept for integrating UAVs, now an essential element of national defense.

New Orleans

Rebuilt a failed organization of 340 personnel, $56 million, and 6 aircraft after “certification for flight” had been revoked – it was incapable of performing its mission. Two years of profound managing change and prioritizing resources resulted in full mission readiness. The unit had become the “go to” organization for commanders and “the squadron of choice” for personnel.

Brunswick, Mountain View, New Orleans, Norfolk

Mission commander, flight and tactics instructor, and department head positions (Maintenance, Operations, Training, Safety, and Administration) for Patrol Squadrons (VP-11, VP-31, VP-94, VP-92) and Wing Staff. * Led small (11) to large (180) groups performing world-wide operations, frequently requiring short-notice departure for extended front-line operations in remote locations lacking practical access to outside support.

Los Angeles, Charlottesville, San Diego

Development of commercial skills and techniques that are critical to success in all GE businesses, including leadership, management, managing costs, and generating revenue.

Ms, Strategic Studies

Bs, Civil Engineering

Fellow, Seminar Xxi, Foreign Politics, Int'L Relations, And The National Interest

Executive Education, Kennedy School Of Government, Leadership Decision Making

Fellow, National Security Studies Program, Applied Physics Laboratory