Meet Our Business Consulting Team

When Jim Barlar formed ZAG, he aimed to create a business advisory firm focused on preparing clients for sale. He began by assembling a team that guides business owners, their attorneys, and accountants through the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) process. This journey starts with Jim, who has held various positions, including Chief Development Officer, Vice President of Development, and Vice President of Sales for multiple companies. In these roles, he facilitated acquisitions on both the buy side and sell side, gaining valuable experience across a range of service-related industries. Additionally, Jim is a Georgia Licensed Real Estate Sales Representative, with his license held by Berkshire Hathaway. His extensive background in corporate law and M&A has shaped how he leads ZAG’s clients toward a successful exit.

Rick is an attorney and is currently an Emeritus member of the State Bar of Georgia and the American Bar Association. He was a partner at Sell & Melton Attorneys at Law, specializing in corporate law with a focus on mergers and acquisitions. Throughout his career, Rick participated in numerous large complex transactions and later became General Counsel to a large healthcare system, where he oversaw multiple intricate corporate transactions. More recently, for the last 24 years, Rick served as CEO of Caresouth Health System and US CareNet. These firms were backed by private equity, and during his tenure, Rick provided vital business advisory services while managing numerous large buy-side and sell-side transactions.