Character Introductions, They Are a Changin'

So progress continues, although much more slowly.

I have a very large number of secondary characters, who are essential to the plot but aren't the main focus of the story.  Seriously, it's like a Harry Potter book, or Tolkien.  The problem is twofold - 1) I introduced many people in the same chapter and 2) who the heck can remember so many people? 

So after looking at a number of books, blogs and sites including Suite 101 , Storymind , Kate's Book Blog and The Quotable ,  I came up with a simple three step approach to it easier on the reader without losing what I need these characters to do:

1) I am staggering the introductions of characters throughout more chapters/scenes
2) I am creating a unique and significant memorable trait or statement by the person when they are introduced
3) Since the book is written in the 1st person from the perspective of the protagonist (Alastair), I am having him create a mnemonic device per person.  They are silly, odd and sometimes cheesy,but in line with something a man in his late 20's/early 30's, like Alastair, would come up with on the fly. It is also in line with his personality.

It feels right, but I still have to see how this plays out.