Pabst Brewing Co. recently announced its intention to relocate its corporate headquarters to suburban Woodridge, Ill., and create 31 new jobs. The company will receive almost $1 million in Opportunity Returns funds.

Pabst Brewing Co. was founded in 1844 in Milwaukee, Wis., by Jacob Best and his four sons, and has been a leader in the brewing industry ever since. The company first expanded into Chicago in 1854, when Jacob’s son, Philip, opened a sales office downtown.

Pabst, which is currently headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, will move its operations to Woodridge to be closer to large distributors and customers, while taking advantage of improved transportation access and a diverse and talented labor pool. The company is making an almost $2.5 million investment to lease the facility in Woodridge, which will become the center of Pabst’s corporate operations and house a majority of the executive staff. Today, Pabst sells more than 40 brands of malt beverages and, in total sales volume, is the third largest beer company in Illinois.

“The Midwest has always been home for Pabst Brewing Company, so we are excited to be re-establishing roots in Chicago and Illinois, where we plan to be for years to come. I thank Gov. Blagojevich and his team for facilitating this move and for the critical support to bring us here,” said Kevin Kotecki, CEO of Pabst Brewing Co.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is administering the business investment package. It includes Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) corporate income tax credits over the next ten years based on job creation, and Employer Training Investment Program (ETIP) job training funds that will help enhance the skills of its work force. Go to STATE SPOTLIGHTS to read more about other news and articles about this state.

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