Large employer in Vermillion closing in October

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VERMILLION (AP) — The South Dakota city of Vermillion is losing one of its largest employers.

Stream Global Services this week told the 180 employees at its Vermillion facility that it plans to shut down the center in late October. The company did not give a specific reason, saying that it was "realigning resources" to better meet client needs. Company spokesman Joe Thornton said the decision had nothing to do with the center's performance.

Stream Global Services handles sales, customer service and technical support for a number of businesses. The company based in Bloomington, Minn., has about 50 centers worldwide and has been operating in Vermillion since 2001. The company lost more than $23 million in the last fiscal year, according to the media.

Employees who are losing their jobs will get a severance package and help finding other work. About one-third of the workers are University of South Dakota students, Mayor Jack Powell told the media.

"It is going to have a pretty significant impact on Vermillion, and with 180 jobs, most of them full-time, that is going to hurt some folks. Those are families that are being impacted by this," Steve Howe, executive director of the Vermillion Area Chamber of Commerce and Development Co., told the media.

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