James C. Harper
Partner, Focus, LLC

James C. Harper, a FOCUS Partner, brings to FOCUS over 30 years of financial advisory expertise plus extensive management and investment banking experience in both large and smaller company operations as a senior executive, advisor and investor. Mr. Harper’s unique skills and solid background provide the firm with an expanded ability to both evaluate and assist firm clients with financial and operational issues as well as with investment banking and financial advisory matters across a broad range of industries.

Prior to joining FOCUS, Mr. Harper was Director of Investment Banking with Westminster Securities Corporation, a New York Stock Exchange member brokerage and investment banking firm, where he completed a number of financing, advisory and Merger and Acquisition engagements for small to middle market firms in the telecommunications, technology, manufacturing and healthcare industries.

Previous assignments include heading a firm supplying financial and operational advisory services to a number of small to middle market entities and serving as CFO of JMJ Technologies, a medical software company, which grew during his tenure from a start-up to operational with $5 million in revenue.

From 1971 to 1996, Mr. Harper served in various financial and senior operating positions with BellSouth Corporation. His positions included five years as CFO of the billion-dollar Bellsouth Advertising and Publishing company, two years as CFO of a network integration start-up where sales rose from $200 thousand to $2 million in six months and four years as Vice President of Bellsouth International. He also served as Executive Director, BellSouth Enterprises, responsible for financial planning and mergers and acquisitions for the non-regulated and international entities of BellSouth.

Mr. Harper, a CPA, received a B.S. in Business Administration and an M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Florida. He is a former member of the University of Florida MBA advisory board and past Vice Chairman. He also is a member of the Georgia Society of CPAs.

Return to Bios Page