Nationwide moving 175 Des Moines jobs to Columbus

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. will move 175 jobs out of Des Moines to its home in Columbus, Ohio.

The company will relocate its home mortgage operations in Des Moines to its headquarters by mid-2016, a spokesman told the Register Thursday.

“Our banking headquarters are (in Columbus) and the mortgage company is a part of our bank. We see an opportunity to house it in one location … and help us deliver consistent member experiences,” spokesman Eric Hardgrove said.

Hardgrove said the move is not a reflection of poor performance in Des Moines.

He said current home mortgage employees can apply to relocate to Nationwide’s other operations or for new positions in Des Moines. Nationwide has about 230 open positions in its Des Moines operations, Hardgrove said.

Employees who either choose not to reapply or are not offered a new position will be given 60-days paid advanced notice and severance pay, Hardgrove said.

Columbus-based Nationwide employs more than 4,000 people in Des Moines.