WASHINGTON, DC — Finn Partners has acquired education/public affairs shop Widmeyer Communications, bolstering Finn’s revenues into the $40-million range.

Founded in 1988, Widmeyer nets about $10 million across its 40-person operation in New York and Washington DC. The firm has carved its niche within the intersection of education and public affairs, having worked with clients like Pearson and the National Center on Education and the Economy.

Peter Finn, founding partner of Finn, says the acquisition positions the firm to go after business in the growing arena of education tech -- taking into account technology is Finn’s largest practice area.

“We know that our resources are limited and realized we needed another collaborator,” said founder Scott Widmeyer, who will now take on the title of managing partner for Finn. “We have been involved, on a smaller scale, in the areas that Finn does on a bigger scale” such as work in consumer electronics, the arts and with cultural organizations.

The acquisition will make Washington DC Finn’s second largest office behind the agency’s headquarters in New York. Widmeyer will retain its branding and operate as a Finn Partners company. Finn said the acquisition will result in a small number of layoffs on the administrative side and the combined agency will have about 270 people.

Jessica Ross, head of Finn’s Washington office, will take on a managing partner role as the two agencies will combine office space in both New York and Washington by the end of the year.

Additionally, two Widmeyer veterans—Margaret Dunning and Jason Smith—will continue in their leadership roles, with Smith leading Widmeyer’s PK-12 education practice, and Dunning leading Widmeyer’s higher education practice, as well as its research and polling division. They will report into Richard Funess, senior managing partner in New York and Finn.

Stevens Gould Pincus brought the opportunity to Finn Partners and facilitated the transaction.