P. James "Jim" Brady III '81 and his wife, Barbara, epitomize the philanthropic ideal of "time, talent, and treasure." Both are committed to helping young people succeed and are deeply invested in the educational institutions and community organizations that have enriched their lives.
Like many alumni, Brady says his early support for Bryant flowed from gratitude for his education and the opportunities it gave him. Over time, he added another reason. "For me, in one word, it's 'consequential,'" he explains. "Being grateful is still fifty percent of the reason, but the sustaining component is to be consequential and know you are making a very tangible difference." Seeing that positive impact has culminated in a $1 million bequest intention for the University that will provide endowment support for the University's College of Business.
"My passion is helping others succeed... I love mentoring younger people."
The Bradys' legacy gift follows the establishment of the Barbara and P. James Brady Ill '81 Sophomore International Experience Scholarship in 2017, which supports Bryant students majoring in International Business and reflects the couple's interest in global education. The transformational experiences they had in Russia (1995-98) and India (2008-12), where Brady led Deloitte's audit and advisory practices, inspired a commitment to provide students with learning-abroad opportunities early in their academic careers.
Their approach to philanthropy and service echoes the adventurous spirit they share. When first considering the opportunity to work and live abroad, Barbara notes, "Our thought was, how can we not do this?"
Brady's personal involvement at Bryant has touched hundreds of students. In addition to being a popular guest lecturer every semester for the last several years, he and Barbara have made significant unrestricted gifts in support of the College of Business, and he is the founding Chair of the Dean's Council for the College.
Looking back, Brady is astonished that at age 19 he identified the passion that would become his profession. An Accounting major, he was especially influenced by Bryant professor Michael Lynch, J.D., who arranged the internship at one of the "Big Eight" accounting firms that launched Brady's stellar career.
In 2015, after 27 years at Deloitte, Brady was appointed COO of Grant Thornton USA. Today, he is CEO at alliantgroup India Talent and Vice Chairman of Advisory Services for alliantgroup in Houston, TX.
Brady credits his early aptitude as a leader, along with the support and mentoring he received at Bryant, for the "people-first" strategy that has guided his life and career. "Growing up, I was the organizer - always pushing to get the game going," he recalls. "My passion is helping others succeed... I love mentoring younger people - it's been my passion for four decades. Now, most importantly, it's our children - daughter Alex (24) and son Chris (22)."
Brady's professional drive, business acumen, and global perspective are the essential qualities Bryant strives to instill in every student. This fall, he joined Bryant's Board of Trustees. It's a timely appointment, as the Board will be developing a new strategic plan to guide the University through 2030 - and another opportunity for Brady to make a consequential impact.
