Professional Strategy Group (PSG) understands the challenges of professional services firms. Our core team members built their careers in international and national accounting and consulting firms. Decades of first-hand experience set the foundation for the development of the sessions that make up The Professional Series. We believe that PSG’s competitive advantage is our ability to translate theories of leadership, people management, selling, and superior service into practice.

Led by Jim Brasher, PSG is dedicated to helping professional services firms create advocates and a competitive advantage.

Jim Brasher is a veteran business advisor with more than 35 years’ experience. A proven leader, mentor, and client service professional, Jim has an acute ability to synthesize complex business issues into manageable, practical solutions. Jim served as vice chair for a multimillion dollar Big 4 tax practice and as managing partner for a national accounting firm.  He also held regional leadership positions, is a board member of a closely held manufacturing company, is a former board member of an international public accounting firm, and served as mentor and teacher to many successful business professionals.

In the spring of 2011, Jim founded Professional Strategy Group (PSG), an organization dedicated to strategy, coaching, and training client serving professionals at every level of their careers. Using a common sense approach, PSG delivers tailored courses in the areas of client service, people management, sales techniques, and leadership skills. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences, ask questions, and provide their perspectives on business situations, both common and unique, in a non-threatening, open atmosphere. Jim facilitates the courses and lends the benefit of his professional experiences to participants.

During the course of his career, Jim has had the opportunity to work with some of the nation’s preeminent manufacturing and distribution companies including Associated British Foods, FMC Corporation, FMC Technologies, Motorola, Beatrice Foods, Griffith Laboratories, Central Steel and Wire, World’s Finest Chocolate, and Limagrain. Further, he has been able to indulge his passion for teaching and mentoring by instructing several interpersonal skills courses in classroom settings and creating a future leaders’ program designed for select standout professionals.

Recently, Jim served as the tax services managing partner at Baker Tilly where he was responsible for the overall quality of tax services provided to clients by the firm’s tax professionals. He served as a member of the firm’s management, tax services, strategic planning, and risk committees. In addition, Jim served on the partner compensation, firm governance, and the growth and retention of women task forces.

Jim started his career in accounting with at KPMG in 1975. There, he served as the firm’s Midwest managing partner for tax from 1998 to 2004, overseeing approximately 600 professionals in 13 offices. He was elected to the firm’s board of directors in 1999; and in 2004, he was chosen by the board to serve as vice chairman of tax for the US firm, a position he held for nearly two years.  His focus then shifted to international matters, working to strengthen the firm’s Iberoamerican tax strategy and directing more than $10 million of investments.

Jim received his bachelor’s degree from Loyola University in Chicago, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1975. That same year, Jim earned an honorable mention award for his achievements on the CPA examination.