Insurance company, MetLife Home & Auto reopened its Freeport office, approximately 110 miles north of Chicago, which had remained empty since it closed in 2014. Sections of the 171,000 square-foot facility and parking garage underwent a restoration, including adding standing desks, collaborative workspaces and other health-oriented updates in preparation for the December 13, 2017 grand re-opening.

Along with the office restoration, comes 150 new jobs, including property adjusters and other support positions, which will be filled over a two-year timeframe. One of the reasons behind MetLife’s decision to reopen in Freeport was because of its current engaged workforce in northwest Illinois. Before its announcement to reopen the Freeport facility, Metlife employed 200 remote workers in the area, who now work in the restored office. With an anticipated total of 350 employees, MetLife is projected to become among the top 15 largest employers in Stephenson County.