After 16 years in the speaker bureau industry, Australian Maggie Kohne and American Blanche Powell have teamed up to open a new global speakers bureau, Powell Kohne Associates, LLC to give meeting planners back their time and their life.

“More is asked of events planners today than ever before. They are often overworked and understaffed. We give event planners back their time. We call it ‘booking and beyond’ because we do everything from time consuming speaker research to assisting with contract negotiations to handling details up until the event and beyond,” says Blanche Powell, co-founder of Powell Kohne Associates.

It’s this philosophy of service and attention to detail upon which Kohne and Powell have built their careers. As Powell Kohne Associates, their bureau headquartered in the Washington, DC area, they are an independent source for speakers, celebrities and entertainers that combines global understanding with personal attention.

Kohne’s living experience on three continents gave her a deep appreciation of people with different cultures and backgrounds. Powell’s strong values of hard work and hospitality come from her southern U.S. roots. Their talents combined with their passion for client satisfaction that’s beyond the norm make them a winning combination.

“Maggie Kohne put the same level of energy into coordinating the contracts, speaker requirements and other logistics that made the entire process simple. The bottom line: a perfect speaker for my needs, an easy process, and within budget,” stated client and marketing executive Marty Krause of Guilford Specialty Group Insurance.

Certified Meeting Planner Laura Weaver of the Society of American Florists concurs. “Blanche Powell knows the meeting industry and always provides great, qualified suggestions about speakers and entertainment, plus attention to detail. That’s the kind of service that makes my job easier and lets me shine. She gives me everything I need from a speakers bureau and more.”