One of West Seattle's main employers, Services Group of America, plans to move to Arizona, according to press reports over the weekend.

The company did not return repeated telephone calls or e-mail messages to confirm or explain the move, which was reported Saturday in Seattle newspapers.

Services Group of America is one of the largest privately owned companies in Washington. Company sole owner Thomas J. Stewart is said to disagree with Washington's inheritance tax rate.

Services Group of America is a conglomerate of subsidiaries, the largest and most recognizable being Food Services of America. It is one of the nation's biggest distributors and its trucks deliver food to restaurants, airlines, hospitals, schools and military installations in 15 states in the West and Midwest. The company operates a vast warehouse in Kent.

One of its subsidiaries is Amerifresh, which distributes fruits and vegetables from the U.S., Mexico and New Zealand. Snoboy is among its produce lines.

Another arm of the company does custom meat processing and raises natural Black Angus cattle.

There's also a division of Services Group of America in commercial real estate development and management.

Stewart once raised the ire of his company's Youngstown neighbors when he sought a permit to build a helicopter pad atop the five-story Services Group of America headquarters building near the northern end of Delridge Way.

The helicopter was to be used to fly clients to Eastern Washington, but Stewart also wanted to be able to commute directly from his Vashon Island home to the office rather than land at Boeing Field and drive to the office.

Neighbors in Delridge objected to the noise the company's helicopter would bring to the Youngstown neighborhood. The Seattle City Council agreed with the residents so Stewart took the city to court. He lost the case and was turned down on appeal in 1998.