Illinois Marine Opens New Downtown Joliet Headquarters

JOLIET, IL - On Tuesday, about 50 dignitaries gathered at the corner of Cass and Ottawa Streets to mark another positive event for the city's downtown. Joliet Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting welcoming for Illinois Marine Towing Inc. The barge company has put its local headquarters into the former Catholic Charities building, which is now owned by John Bays.

At least 20 employees are now working at the newly renovated second-floor offices, encompassing nearly 10,000-square-feet of space. There's also space for another 15 company employees who are often on the road and need a temporary work station.

Tuesday's event was attended by Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk, John Bays and Jessica Bays and outgoing Illinois Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti and Joliet Chamber of Commerce President Mary Jaworski. Several executives from the parent company, Canal Barge Company, Inc., traveled from New Orleans to attend the Joliet ceremony.

"On behalf of myself and the City Council, thank you for your investment in the city of Joliet," Mayor O'Dekirk told everyone Tursday.

"It's great to see the culmination of several years of planning into this office in Joliet, especially for our people to have a permanent space for collaborating," remarked Ron Zornes, director of corporation operations with Canal Barge Company.

Zornes told Joliet Patch that Illinois Marine Towing started moving its new office in downtown Joliet in October. The parent company, Canal Barge Company, has about 850 employees including about 190 working in Illinois.

Decades ago, the building served as the Al Baskin clothing store.

Zornes said one of the things that impresses him about downtown Joliet is the number of quality restaurants that are now in operation.

A number of employees who are now working in downtown Joliet previously were spread out in Channahon and Lemont, he said. The building at 203 North Ottawa St., "is centrally located. It's easy to get to and reliable parking in the back," he said.

After Tuesday's ribbon-cutting, company recruiter Amanda Rusnak reached out to Joliet Patch to spread the word that Illinois Marine is now hiring more workers.

For more information, people can apply online at the Illinois Marine Towing website.

Images via John Ferak/Joliet Patch Editor