Metro East Sun

Last week, Tyson Foods announced it would be relocating its corporate employees in Chicago and Downers Grove- as well as Dakota Dunes South Dakota - to Springdale, Arkansas. The largest meat packing company by sales did not give specific reasoning for their move, but potential factors could be crime, taxes and a trend of moving away from large cities.

According to Reuters, Tyson Foods’ decision will relocate about 1,000 corporate employees from its Illinois and South Dakota offices to Arkansas. The corporate giant employs 120,000 nationwide with 114,000 working in production plants.

Reuters reported that Tyson will begin a “phased relocation” of the employees starting early next year. The company believes the move will promote better collaboration and decision-making, as the Tyson family, who founded Tyson Foods, and several top executives have been based in Arkansas for a long time.

Tyson Foods’ decision to move marks the third Fortune 500 company to leave Illinois this year following Boeing, who moved its headquarters to Virginia from Chicago, and Caterpillar moving its headquarters from Deerfield, Illinois to Texas

“The parade of businesses leaving Illinois continues as Tyson Foods is moving jobs out of Illinois,” Kevin Schmidt, candidate for the Illinois House to represent District 114, wrote in an Oct. 12 Facebook post. “We can’t continue to ignore what is happening. Whether it is the rise in crime, the culture of corruption in Illinois, the endless business regulations or the high taxes – the message companies are sending is clear. They no longer wish to invest in our state. Tone deaf leaders like LaToya Greenwood have stood on the sidelines and watched business after business pack up and leave. This is especially egregious given that Greenwood represents a district on the Illinois border. We deserve better. I will fight to not only keep existing businesses but work to attract new ones. I will not sit on my hands while businesses continue to leave. Illinois needs jobs and that can only happen with new leadership.”

Kevin Schmidt describes himself as a “strong conservative” and a father and husband that has strong ties to the Metro East area. Schmidt’s priorities in Springfield will be job growth, resolving crime, and fighting for tax reform.

In 2022, Fortune 500 has all three companies rank within the top 100, Tyson Foods at 81, Caterpillar at 73, and Boeing at 60.

Also leaving Illinois this year was Citadel, the $51 billion hedge fund founded by billionaire Ken Griffin, as previously reported by Reuters. Back in June, Griffin announced the headquarters would be moving to Miami, relocating around 1,000 employees. It was made clear that Florida offered a better business climate and tax incentives. However, executives expressed that crime was also a factor, noting that a Citadel employee was stabbed a block from the office, someone attempted to carjack Griffin’s vehicle, and protests occurred outside the Citadel headquarters.

Reuters reported that a spokesperson for Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tyson is ‘making decisions based on its unique corporate needs and has planned growth in other parts of the state, such as a plant in Caseyville that will create 250 jobs.