On the Record has been in business since 1981. The business began when Sunny Peer, a Texas Certified Shorthand Reporter, became interested in acquiring court reporting work for federal agencies in Texas. After discussing the prospect with a Washington, D.C. firm which held contracts for such work, she decided the best way to go about this would be to train people to make clear tape recordings of these hearings in such a way that they could be easily and accurately transcribed. She formed On the Record Reporting, later to be joined in this endeavor in 1984 by Laurel Stoddard.

At the end of 2004 Ms. Peer retired from the day-to-day business of the company, and On the Record Reporting & Transcription, Inc., of which Laurel Stoddard is president, was formed solely for the purpose of carrying on the business of On the Record.