National Speakers Bureau
Encyclopedia
Overview
The National Speakers Bureau is an IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
-based speakers bureau
Speakers bureau
A speakers bureau is a company which operates to facilitate speakers for clients requiring after-dinner speakers, motivational speakers, awards hosts, cabaret acts, conference facilitators and keynote speakers....
. The firm, founded in 1972 by John Palmer
Peter Palmer
John Palmer was a bandleader, tenor saxophonist and composer. He recorded several albums for Mercury Records including "A Swingin' Love Affair", "A Swingin' Dance Date", and "Moonlight on the Campus", with a small singing group which included Ann Trendler, whom he would later marry...
, is currently led by Brian Palmer
Brian Palmer
Brian Palmer is the president of National Speakers Bureau in Libertyville, IL. Brian joined National Speakers Bureau as a sales person in 1980 and was made president in 1996, succeeding his father, John Palmer. Brian Palmer has held numerous leadership positions in the industry’s associations,...
who assumed the presidency in 1996.
History
After working as a band leader for twenty years, John PalmerPeter Palmer
John Palmer was a bandleader, tenor saxophonist and composer. He recorded several albums for Mercury Records including "A Swingin' Love Affair", "A Swingin' Dance Date", and "Moonlight on the Campus", with a small singing group which included Ann Trendler, whom he would later marry...
searched the yellow pages of New York City for an established business that he could translate to his hometown of Chicago. While there were established, professional speakers in Chicago, there was no speakers bureau that served the market at the national level. This led him to found the National Speakers Bureau in 1972. The first foray into the business came when Palmer arranged for Rod Serling
Rod Serling
Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form...
, renowned screenwriter, to speak at Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
.
During the 1970s, John Palmer
Peter Palmer
John Palmer was a bandleader, tenor saxophonist and composer. He recorded several albums for Mercury Records including "A Swingin' Love Affair", "A Swingin' Dance Date", and "Moonlight on the Campus", with a small singing group which included Ann Trendler, whom he would later marry...
became a force in this developing industry. He devoted his career to encouraging high standards in his firm through his work with peers in the meeting industry. In remembrance of John Palmer
Peter Palmer
John Palmer was a bandleader, tenor saxophonist and composer. He recorded several albums for Mercury Records including "A Swingin' Love Affair", "A Swingin' Dance Date", and "Moonlight on the Campus", with a small singing group which included Ann Trendler, whom he would later marry...
’s contribution to the lecture industry, The International Association of Speakers Bureaus created the John Palmer
Peter Palmer
John Palmer was a bandleader, tenor saxophonist and composer. He recorded several albums for Mercury Records including "A Swingin' Love Affair", "A Swingin' Dance Date", and "Moonlight on the Campus", with a small singing group which included Ann Trendler, whom he would later marry...
Award. This annual honor is given to recognize men and women within the lecture business who demonstrate “exemplary service to the association and bureau industry.”
John Palmer
Peter Palmer
John Palmer was a bandleader, tenor saxophonist and composer. He recorded several albums for Mercury Records including "A Swingin' Love Affair", "A Swingin' Dance Date", and "Moonlight on the Campus", with a small singing group which included Ann Trendler, whom he would later marry...
’s son, Brian Palmer
Brian Palmer
Brian Palmer is the president of National Speakers Bureau in Libertyville, IL. Brian joined National Speakers Bureau as a sales person in 1980 and was made president in 1996, succeeding his father, John Palmer. Brian Palmer has held numerous leadership positions in the industry’s associations,...
, joined the National Speakers Bureau as a sales person in 1980. Sixteen years later, Brian was made the National Speakers Bureau president (1996). Following in his father’s footsteps, Brian Palmer
Brian Palmer
Brian Palmer is the president of National Speakers Bureau in Libertyville, IL. Brian joined National Speakers Bureau as a sales person in 1980 and was made president in 1996, succeeding his father, John Palmer. Brian Palmer has held numerous leadership positions in the industry’s associations,...
has held numerous leadership positions in the industry’s associations and has been recognized as an industry leader.
In 2007, National Speakers Bureau celebrated thirty-five years of service to corporations and business associations. Also in 2007, the firm won the Illinois Meeting + Events magazine award for best speakers bureau
. While maintaining the standards established by John Palmer
Peter Palmer
John Palmer was a bandleader, tenor saxophonist and composer. He recorded several albums for Mercury Records including "A Swingin' Love Affair", "A Swingin' Dance Date", and "Moonlight on the Campus", with a small singing group which included Ann Trendler, whom he would later marry...
in the early 1970s, the firm continues to seek to improve their methods of delivering the most suitable speakers for the unique goals of each client.