Washington Speakers Bureau

Washington Speakers Bureau (WSB) is a privately held speakers agency founded in 1980 and headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area^[1]. The company was founded in 1980^[2] by Bernie Swain, Paula Swain, and Harry Rhoads, Jr.^[3] In 2000, the company was acquired by Omnicom Group but continues to run as an independent business within Omnicom's diversified-services division.^[4]

WSB offers speaker representation and event consulting, connecting organisers with keynote speakers and moderators for conferences and corporate events.^[3][5] Its roster includes former U.S. presidents, prime ministers, business executives, and journalists, among others.^[2][6][7]

Notable coverage

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.^[8]

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.^[2]

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.^[6]

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.^[9]