The global insurance broker, Willis Group Holdings, announced it would consolidate five offices in the Chicagoland area and move nearly 500 employees into the former Sears Tower at 233 S. Wacker Drive.
As a part of the lease agreement covering three floors and 140,000 square feet, Willis received naming rights to the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. In July 2009, the skyscraper was officially renamed Willis Tower at a gala ceremony attended by Mayor Daley and other Chicago dignitaries.
“Having our name associated with Chicago’s most iconic structure underscores our commitment to this great city, and recognizes Chicago’s importance as a major financial hub and international business center,” said Joseph J. Plumeri, Chairman and CEO of Willis Group Holdings. “It was a bold move that firmly established our leading presence in one of the nation’s biggest insurance markets.”
Plumeri noted that Willis has been in Chicago since 1885. “Over the years, we’ve grown as Chicago has grown,” he said, “and we are excited to be a part of the great future this dynamic city is building. We’re proud to call Chicago our home.”
In deciding to relocate to Willis Tower and make it the headquarters of Willis’ Midwest Region, Plumeri cited Chicago’s central location in the region, as well as the easy access Willis Tower offered to the city’s central business district.
“By bringing our associates to the center of the city at Willis Tower, we are bringing them closer to our clients and business partners, and giving them easy access to anywhere in the Chicago area, and to the world through O’Hare and Midway airports.”
