Timeline of Firm History

1979
The company is founded as the Research Council of Washington with a total of five employees. The original mission is to answer “any question for any company for any industry.”
1983
The company begins to specialize in research for the financial services industry and changes its name to The Advisory Board Company.
1986
The Advisory Board launches strategic research division dedicated to the health care industry, launching its first membership, Health Care Advisory Board (HCAB).
1990
The firm tops 150 employees and more than 500 health care members, publishing 15 major reports and 2,000 research briefs each year.
1993
The firm launches strategic research for world’s largest companies. Members include almost half of the Fortune 500 within the first 18 months.
1994
The first clinically based program, Cardiovascular Roundtable is launched, providing best practices in managing cardiovascular care for the nations’ leading cardiac programs.
1997
The Advisory Board spins off its corporate membership group, Corporate Executive Board, as an independent company. The Advisory Board Company focuses on the health care sector, serving more than 1,500 health care organizations.
2000
The Advisory Board launches H*Works, a consulting business offering best practice implementation support for its membership.
2001
The Advisory Board completes an initial public offering.
2002
The firm tops 2,100 memberships and 500 employees. The Advisory Board Academies leadership development division launches, addressing the leadership gap in health care.
2003
Named to Washingtonian’s Great Places to Work; Business Intelligence and Analytics offering launches Compass, to provide memberships anchored by robust decision support tools.
2005
Named to Forbes’ Top 200 High-Growth Companies and again to Washingtonian's Great Places to Work.
2007
The firm launches its first membership programs in higher education, serving student and academic affairs executives at major U.S. research universities.