Plumeri says it affirms Willis’s commitment to Chicago
Chicago’s Sears Tower, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, has been renamed Willis Tower despite local opposition.
Joe Plumeri, chairman and chief executive officer of Willis and Chicago Mayor RichardDaley officially introduced the new name together at a ceremony at Willis Tower attended by Chicago business, community and government leaders, the building’s owners and management, and Willis’ Chicago-area Associates.
A tall story
Opened in 1973 the 110-story glass and steel structure remains the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere at 1,450 feet (442m). Willis Tower will be one of Willis’ three largest office locations, alongside New York and London.
The company will occupy more than 140,000 square feet (13,000 square meters) of space in the building when nearly 500 Associates move in this summer from five area offices. Willis plans to add more jobs in Chicago in the coming years.
Willis family
“Every member of the Willis family is honored to be associated with such an architectural icon and privileged to call this prestigious business address our new Midwest Region headquarters,” Plumeri said. “Above all, the naming of Willis Tower is an affirmation of our strong commitment to the great city of Chicago, its people and its future.
