Windy City Limousine & Bus Founder George Jacobs
Popular Chicago-based transportation company, Windy City Limousine & Bus, founded by George Jacobs, has been acquired by TBL Group, the Houston-based transportation logistics management organization comprising ECHO AFC Transportation and owned by CEO John Ferrari. The deal was announced last week in Bus & Motorcoach News.
According to the article, Jacobs, CEO, will remain with the company through the transition along with President Kathy Kahne. The company will be known as ECHO Windy City moving forward.
Windy City Limousine & Bus President Kathy Kahne
Jacobs launched Windy City in 2006 after coming out of retirement. He told Bus & Motorcoach News that he had been considering the sale for more than a year and was struggling to find a potential buyer who would be the right fit for his company but especially his team, many of whom helped Jacobs launch Windy City from the beginning. The CD Hall of Fame inductee had already founded and sold another company in the past—American Limousine, which was sold to Carey—so he wanted to avoid the issues that arose following the previous acquisition. After being connected with Ferrari through mutual friends, they found that the businesses had a lot in common, including a focus on motorcoaches. Both businesses are known to have large motorcoach fleets in their respective markets.
“In two short weeks, we have already learned so much from Team ECHO AFC. This marriage will work really well. We think alike and have the same goals,” says Jacobs. “They got a big job in California where we sent nine chauffeurs out there to fulfill it. We have been doing something for years that will save them many thousands of dollars in Texas. Like drafting on a racetrack, we can each do more working together. My team is thrilled.”
Throughout its history, Windy City has also acquired several companies. Among its most impactful were the acquisitions of Your Private Limousine, Deerbrook Limousine, and Chicago’s Transportation Group, all of which took place in 2017.
Ferrari, who has been in the industry for more than 30 years, has also acquired several companies over the decades. In addition to ECHO AFC, East Coast Transportation is among the many companies under the TBL Group, which operates in Northeast Florida and is now known as ECHO East Coast Transportation. ECHO AFC celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2022. According to the TBL Group website, their “mission is to revolutionize the transportation and logistics industry by creating a seamless and integrated network infrastructure across the nation.”
Visit windycitylimos.com or tblgroup.co for more information.
[10.22.24]