Executive Communication Roundup’Wha-choo-talkin-bout Willis?!’ Tower

Facebook CEO giddy on Oprah, Writing the newspaper industry’s obit; Warren Buffett talks about the economy; GE isn’t rated AAA anymore; eBay looks to the future

So long, Sears: Here in Chicago, it’s always going to be the Sears Tower to us—no matter what a CEO tells us to call it. Willis Group Holdings, the London-based insurance brokerage, is moving into the tallest building in North America and slapping on its moniker. Joseph Plumeri, Willis Group CEO, brushed off negative remarks from Chicagoans about the name change.

“Would you rather have an iconic building with nobody in it, which doesn’t say a lot about Chicago, or someone with enough faith to take the space? The headline should be: A company has decided to invest money in Chicago, and if you miss that headline, you’ve missed the side of the building by a mile and a half.”

Obviously, Plumeri doesn’t know how resistant Chicagoans are to change: The Marshall Field’s plaque is still on the facade of Macy’s department store.