Tyson Foods moves jobs to Arkansas in latest Chicago blow

Content of the article

CHICAGO — Tyson Foods Inc is joining other corporate heavyweights in moving jobs out of Illinois.

The largest U.S. meat company by sales announced Wednesday that it will relocate all company employees from offices in Chicago and suburban Downers Grove, as well as those from Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, to its headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas.

Content of the article

It’s the latest shakeup for Tyson, which has about 1,000 employees in offices in the Chicago and South Dakota area. Overall, the meat company has about 120,000 American employees, of which about 114,000 work in production plants.

Content of the article

Tyson will begin a « gradual relocation » of company employees early next year, according to a statement. He said the move « will foster closer collaboration, improve team member agility, and enable faster decision-making. »

Members of the Tyson family, which founded Tyson Foods, and several senior executives have long been based in Arkansas.

A company spokesperson said no layoffs were associated with the moves. It was unclear how many office workers would make the trip.

Representatives for the mayor of Chicago and the governor of Illinois did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Tyson’s decision is a further blow to Chicago’s business community after hedge fund Citadel said in June it was moving its global headquarters from the city to Miami. Boeing also said this year it would move its headquarters to Arlington, Va., from Chicago, and Caterpillar announced plans to move to Texas from a suburb of Chicago.

Content of the article

Kellogg, however, based its largest company, snacks, in Chicago after announcing a split into three independent companies this summer.

Tyson acquired his Chicago office when he acquired Hillshire Brands in 2014, then ran his convenience food business there.

Last week, Tyson said Noelle O’Mara, who was president of the prepared foods group, had left her position and would be replaced by Stewart Glendinning, who was chief financial officer. John R. Tyson, the son of the company’s chairman of the board, took over as chief financial officer this week. (Reporting by Tom Polansek editing by Nick Zieminski)