W.Va. losing 190 telemarketing jobs in 2 towns

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Nearly 200 West Virginians will be out of work because of layoffs at a Parkersburg telemarketing company and the shutdown of a separate call center in South Charleston. Employees of the South Charleston facility say DialAmerica Marketing Inc., based in Mahwah, N.J., told them earlier this week the company would be closing. Corporate headquarters confirmed the closing Friday but would not comment further. Local management also declined comment late Thursday as workers at the darkened office building picked up their final paychecks. The center opened in 2000. DialAmerica's Web site says the company began in 1957 as a subsidiary of Time Inc. and was incorporated as DialAmerica in 1976. It generates $135 million a year in revenues. DialAmerica, the nation's largest privately held teleservices company, has 25... [read full story]