Not all Chicago-lovers have accepted the name-change though. “They chose Chicago because the business environment in Chicago encourages global companies to strive,” said John Huston, executive vice president of American Landmark Properties, Ltd. Chicago is now the company’s new Midwest Region headquarters. Willis secured the naming rights along with a leasing agreement for 140,000 square feet. Sears sold the building in 1994 but the name remained. The building has been known as the Sears Tower since 1973, named after Sears, Roebuck and Company. At the same time, workers revealed duplicates on the sidewalk in front of the building and above the door. The Willis Tower was welcomed into Chicago with melodies by the Chicago Children’s Choir as Mayor Richard Daley and Plumeri dropped the cloth from the front desk to reveal the new moniker to a lobby full of applause. Plumeri also said the 500 company associates will volunteer with Chicago Cares. To start off on the right foot, Plumeri presented volunteer organization Chicago Cares with a check for $100,000 and the London-based insurance company pledged $100,000 to Chicago 2016 for the city’s bid to host the Olympics. “You will find over time that Willis is not going to just have its name on the building, it’s going to have an impact in society, in the community.” Willis Group Holdings didn’t only change the name of Chicago’s iconic Sears Tower the company will also become a part of the Chicago community, Chairman and CEO Joseph Plumeri said during today’s renaming ceremony.
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