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Washington Speakers Bureau (WSB) is a privately held speakers agency founded in 1980 and headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The company was founded in 1980 [1] by Bernie Swain, Paula Swain, and Harry Rhoads, Jr. [2] In 2000, the company was acquired by Omnicom Group but continues to run as an independent business within Omnicom's diversified-services division. [3]
WSB offers speaker representation and event consulting, connecting organizers with keynote speakers and moderators for conferences and corporate events. [2] [4] Its roster includes former U.S. presidents, prime ministers, business executives, and journalists, among others. [1] [5] [6]
Washington Post (2011): Focused on WSB’s role in negotiating fees for prominent figures, detailing the growing demand for high-profile speakers in political, business, and cultural circles. [7]
Fortune (2016): Featured an interview with Bernie Swain, examining the bureau’s early challenges and the importance of personal relationships in building a successful speaking agency. [1]
Forbes (2023): Explored how the speaker bureau sector adapted post-COVID-19, citing WSB as an example of a bureau transitioning toward virtual and hybrid speaking events. [5]
Sports Business Journal (2025): Announced that sports talent agency Athletes First (A1) signed an official partnership with Washington Speakers Bureau to market 50+ athletes, coaches, and executives for professional speaking opportunities. [8]
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Bernie Swain is an American businessman and author. He is the co-founder with Paula Swain and Harry Rhoads Jr. of Washington Speakers Bureau, a lecture agency which represents many prestigious authors, politicians, journalists, athletes, and business leaders.