Advisory Board history

In 1986 the Advisory Board launched a research division dedicated to the health care industry.

Then, in 1993, the firm established a corporate division to serve the research needs of the top executives of the world's largest corporations.

The firm expanded in 1994 to include its first clinically based program, the Cardiology Roundtable, later the Cardiovascular Roundtable.

After the departure of the Corporate Executive Board, Advisory Board became devoted solely to the health care practice, which had been somewhat neglected since 1996 when Advisory Board began focusing most of its attention on the development of the corporate division.

Instead, in 1997 he purchased the National Journal, which covered all aspects of the federal government.

In 1999 Bradley raised funds for his media aspirations by taking the spin-off company public, netting $142 million.

In April 2000 Advisory Board initiated the launch of seven new programs, rolled out in the ensuing months.

In 2001 Bradley was ready to duplicate what he had previously done with Corporate Executive Board, and papers were filed to make a $95 million initial public offering of Advisory Board stock.

With Credit Suisse First Boston acting as underwriter, the IPO was priced at $19 a share and completed in November 2002.

Fiscal 2003 was an even better year for Advisory Board, which enjoyed a record-breaking 89 percent renewal rate of institutional clients and a 24 percent increase in revenues, topping the $100 million threshold.

In November 2004 Williams became Advisory Board's chairman of the board.

The upward trend continued in fiscal 2005, as sales grew 16 percent to $141 million and net income increased to $23.3 million.

In 2007, the company launched its first membership programs in higher education, working with student and academic affairs executives at several United States research universities.

In 2008 it acquired Crimson, a data, analytics, and business intelligence software provider focused on physician performance, quality metrics, and cost of care outcomes.

By 2009, The Advisory Board Company expanded to San Francisco, its fourth United States office.

In 2012, The Advisory Board Company acquired ActiveStrategy, a performance improvement technology firm, and 360Fresh, a leading provider of clinical data analytics.

2014 brought the acquisitions of health care software firm HealthPost, and the higher education consulting firm Royall & Company.

In 2015, the firm acquired Clinovations, a health care information technology firm, and GradesFirst, a software company that helped colleges and universities to identify and to support at-risk students.

As of 2016, the company had grown to more than 3,600 employees, with offices on three continents.