What Marquis Who's Who does

Marquis Who's Who is a privately held biographical publishing company founded in 1898 by Albert Nelson Marquis and headquartered in Uniondale, New York. The company operates a proprietary biographical database, Marquis Biographies Online (MBO), containing over 1.6 million biographies updated daily and organized across 24 specialized print titles with historical archives spanning back to 1607. The platform supports targeted searching across up to 15 criteria including name, occupation, gender, education, and geography. The company is organized under the legal entity Marquis Who's Who Ventures LLC and employs 101-250 people.

The company's business model spans four distinct revenue streams. Institutional subscribers (academic libraries, public libraries, corporate libraries, alumni offices, recruiters, and law firms) pay annual fees for MBO access; print directories such as Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in Asia, and specialized vertical titles in finance, medicine, science, education, and law are sold via direct e-commerce; individual listees purchase personal branding services including press release distribution through PR Newswire, video biographies, personal website creation, partner publication features in the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, and Forbes, and Times Square digital billboard placements; and the Spotlight Series offers premium visibility features for selected listees. For pre-qualified candidates, inclusion is complimentary; monetization occurs through attach of paid branding services and institutional database access.

Marquis Who's Who serves two primary customer segments: institutional subscribers who use the database for biographical verification, talent identification, executive search, and reference research, and professional listees who purchase branding services to enhance visibility and legacy. Distribution is multi-channel: direct sales for institutional subscriptions and personal branding, e-commerce for print, and organic presence through library partnerships. The company maintains partnerships with PR Newswire for press release distribution and a portfolio of major publications for editorial features, and operates sub-brands including the Marquis Digital Agency and the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award program. The current CEO is Erica Lee, who in January 2021 became the first female chief executive in the company's history.

Name

Marquis Who's Who

Legal name

Marquis Who's Who Ventures LLC

Website

https://marquiswhoswho.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Marquis Who's Who is a privately held biographical publishing company founded in 1898 that operates the Marquis Biographies Online database of over 1.6 million entries plus print directories, serving institutional subscribers (libraries, corporate research, recruiters, law firms) and individual professionals seeking personal branding services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Institutional Database Subscriptions: Annual subscription-based access to Marquis Biographies Online for academic libraries, public libraries, corporate libraries, and research institutions worldwide. Subscriptions provide access to all biographies from 24 Marquis print titles since 1985 plus historical archives from Who Was Who in America volumes 1607–1985.
2. Print Publication Sales: Direct sales of print directories including Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in Finance and Business, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare, and other specialized titles. Available for purchase through the online store.
3. Personal Branding Services: Premium branding services for listees including personal website creation, press release writing and distribution through PR Newswire's network of 2,500+ newsrooms, video biographies, Wall Street Journal features, Fortune magazine placements, Times Square digital photo displays, and custom commemorative plaques.
4. Spotlight Series Features: Premium visibility features on the Spotlight platform showcasing selected listees with detailed biographical profiles and professional achievements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Marquis Who's Who curates, vets, and publishes biographical data on accomplished professionals through a portfolio of print directories (e.g., Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, regional and topical volumes) and the Marquis Biographies Online (MBO) subscription database. The company also sells premium personal branding services to selected listees, including press release distribution via PR Newswire, video biographies, partner publication features (Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Forbes), Times Square digital displays, and personal website creation.

Product overview

Marquis Who's Who is a biographical publishing company established in 1898 offering a portfolio of print directories and digital products. The core offerings include the flagship Who's Who in America (first published 1899), regional directories like Who's Who in the World and Who's Who in Asia, and specialized vertical directories covering Finance & Business, Medicine & Healthcare, Science & Engineering, Education, and Law. These are complemented by Marquis Biographies Online (MBO), a searchable online database of 1.6 million+ biographies updated daily. The company also provides personal branding services including video biographies, press release distribution, personal website creation, and partner publication features in outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, and Forbes. Additional offerings include the Spotlight Series for featured profiles, Marquis Millennium Magazine for listees, and the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. The portfolio operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture, combining a core biographical reference database with tiered add-on branding and visibility services for listees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Spotlight: Featured profiles of accomplished listees showcased on the Marquis website
• Spotlight Series
• Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award
• Marquis Maker's Lists

Products and services

• Marquis Biographies Online (MBO) A powerful online research database containing over 1.6 million biographies from Marquis Who's Who publications, updated daily and searchable by name or up to 15 different criteria. Sold via annual institutional subscription to academic libraries, public libraries, corporate libraries, and research institutions.
• Who's Who in America The flagship biographical dictionary featuring thousands of biographies of notable American men and women including Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, athletes, authors, artists, executives, and entrepreneurs. Sold as a print directory.
• Who's Who in the World A global biographical directory providing concise biographies of renowned individuals from around the world, representing virtually every major field of human endeavor. Sold as a print directory.
• Who's Who in Asia Regional biographical directory covering over 29,000 biographies of citizens from all countries in Asia, including coverage of Bollywood, automobile manufacturing, and Asian space programs. Sold as a print directory.
• Who's Who of Professional Women A narrative compilation showcasing accomplished female professionals selected based on proven leadership, achievement, and success. Sold as a print directory.
• Who's Who in Finance and Business A compilation featuring distinguished listees who are leaders in finance and business, presented in narrative form with chapters highlighting top professionals' accomplishments. Sold as a print directory.
• Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare A special compilation of the Top Professional Series showcasing medical practitioners, innovators, researchers, and educators who have gone above and beyond in pursuit of scientific advancement. Sold as a print directory.
• Who's Who in Science and Engineering Profiles covering major figures from sciences and engineering disciplines including medical, healthcare, research, technology, sociology, economics, psychology, astronomy, zoology, aerospace, civil, environmental, optical engineering, and robotics. Sold as a print directory.
• Who's Who in American Education Biographies of prominent individuals in education at all levels including elementary and secondary educators, university educators, administrators, chancellors, deans, school board members, librarians, and program directors. Sold as a print directory.
• Who's Who in American Law A publication highlighting attorneys who have dedicated their careers to effective representation, including litigators, arbitrators, mediators, judges, advisers, and educators. Sold as a print directory.
• A Lifetime of Achievement A casebound book featuring recipients of the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, organized by industry to showcase their most notable accomplishments and legacies.
• Press Release Distribution Press release writing and distribution through PR Newswire's network extending to over 2,500 newsrooms, with a commemorative plaque. Sold directly to individual listees as a personal branding service.
• Video Biographies Professionally edited legacy videos featuring listees in in-depth professional interviews accompanied by visuals with online distribution. Sold directly to individual listees as a personal branding service.
• Personal Website Creation Personal branding websites that listees can leverage to maintain a healthy, professional online presence. Sold directly to individual listees.
• Partner Publication Features High-profile features in partner publications including Wall Street Journal, Fortune, GQ Magazine, The New Yorker, Vogue, Forbes, and Entrepreneur, with physical copies and digital versions. Sold to individual listees.
• Times Square Digital Display Billboard placement in Times Square providing exposure on digital photo displays for listees' branding. Sold to individual listees.
• Marquis Digital Agency Agency services providing personal branding support, website creation, writing, hosting, design, and promotional opportunities for listees.
• Spotlight Series Monthly/quarterly online platform recognizing top-tier biographees and their career achievements across various fields through features on the Marquis website and partner publications.
• Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award Award program recognizing individuals who have achieved and maintained greatness in their field for at least 20 years, with a dedicated website.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.6 million+ biographies in database
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• PR NewswirecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive press release distribution partnership enabling Marquis to distribute listee press releases to over 2,500 newsrooms worldwide. Includes commemorative plaque fulfillment services.
• Wall Street JournalflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured placement of listee profiles in the Wall Street Journal business section as part of Marquis personal branding offerings. Represents premium visibility opportunity for honorees.
• Fortune MagazinecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner publication for featuring Marquis listees in Fortune magazine features and editorial content.
• ForbescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner publication for featuring Marquis listees in Forbes magazine features and editorial content.
• GQ MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner publication for featuring Marquis listees in GQ magazine features.
• The New YorkerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner publication for featuring Marquis listees in The New Yorker magazine features.
• VogueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner publication for featuring Marquis listees in Vogue magazine features.
• EntrepreneurminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner publication for featuring Marquis listees in Entrepreneur magazine features.
• Times Square Digital DisplaysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTimes Square digital photo display placements available to listees for enhanced visibility, part of the personal branding suite.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gale (Cengage Learning): Gale publishes biographical and reference databases (e.g., Biography and Genealogy Master Index, Gale Virtual Reference Library) sold primarily to academic and public libraries on annual subscriptions, directly mirroring Marquis's MBO institutional model.
• ProQuest: ProQuest licenses aggregated biographical, historical, and reference databases to universities and libraries, overlapping with Marquis's biographical database subscriptions and shared institutional buyer personas.
• LexisNexis: LexisNexis sells subscription-based reference and biographical data to academic, public, and corporate libraries, as well as legal and recruiter users, the same institutional segments that subscribe to MBO.

Emerging players

• Ancestry: Ancestry operates a subscription biographical and genealogical database with consumer and library editions, intersecting with Marquis's biographical content focus and library distribution model.
• Crunchbase: Crunchbase aggregates structured biographical and professional data on business figures and sells it to researchers, recruiters, and media organizations, partially overlapping with MBO's corporate and media user segments.
• Hoover's (D&B subsidiary): Hoover's provides company and executive profiles as a subscription research product, comparable to MBO's role as a go-to biographical lookup for corporate research and recruiting users.

Broad incumbents

• Dun & Bradstreet: Dun & Bradstreet is a large, established provider of business and executive biographical data sold to institutions and enterprises, competing for some of the same corporate research and executive search use cases that MBO serves.
• Bloomberg: Bloomberg is a broad incumbent in business and financial information with paid research terminals and executive biographical data, intersecting with Marquis's Who's Who in Finance and Business audience and recruiter/journalist user base.
• LinkedIn: LinkedIn is the dominant free professional biographical and networking platform; while not a paid research database, it competes with MBO as a default source for biographical lookups by recruiters, journalists, and researchers.

Others

• O'Reilly Media: O'Reilly sells subscription-based reference content (books, videos, case studies) to institutions and individuals, sharing Marquis's library subscription distribution and reference-publishing business model though in a different content domain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/marquiswhoswho
• Facebookfacebook.com/MarquisWhosWho
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marquis-who-s-who
• Instagraminstagram.com/marquiswhoswho

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marquis Who's Who