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UnityPoint Health – Marshalltown VP of Operations steps down

Dustin Wright

UnityPoint – Marshalltown VP of Operations Dustin Wright stepped down from his position. He has taken a position as Chief Executive Officer with Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars, according to a Thursday afternoon statement issued by Laura Rainey, Regional Marketing Director for UnityPoint Health in Cedar Rapids.

“Dustin played an instrumental role within UnityPoint Health – Marshalltown and the community,” Jennifer Friedly, President, UnityPoint Health – Marshalltown said. “We wish Dustin much success in his new role and we are working on interim plan.”

Wright served under Friedly who was appointed president earlier this year.

Rainey said Wright submitted his resignation Oct. 16.

Wright began his career as president of UnityPoint Health Marshalltown on May 15, 2017, coming from a Sumner hospital.

He started two weeks after UnityPoint Health Marshalltown officially took possession after purchasing Central Iowa Healthcare assets during bankruptcy proceedings earlier in the year. The purchase plan was approved by Federal Bankruptcy Judge Anita Shodeen in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Iowa in Des Moines. Shooden once referred to CIH as a “melting ice cube” when proceedings were bogged down.

Headquartered in Marshalltown, the hospital was a 103-year old, not-for-profit organization, employing approximately 500 health care and other professionals.

CIH assets include a 49 bed acute care hospital in downtown Marshalltown and a recently constructed medical park on Iowa Highway 14 directly across from Marshalltown Community College. Also included in the sale were primary care clinics in Conrad, State Center, Tama-Toledo and Marshalltown.

The hospital is the only full-service medical center in its area and more than 60,000 residents utilize it for a wide variety of health care services.

Local reaction

“I knew he was too good and too talented to keep in Marshalltown for long,” Marshalltown Mayor Joel Greer said. “I am really sad he is leaving. I liked him personally, and I thought he was doing a great job for UnityPoint Health and our local hospital. I also like the people UnityPoint has in leadership positions and I have confidence the person who replaces Dustin will be of the same caliber.”

Greer said Wright was from rural Primghar which is near Le Mars, so he could understand why Wright would want to be close to home.

“Le Mars gets him closer,” Greer said. “He probably gets a better title than he had here and so I never fault people for improving their position or resume.”

Marshall County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Patten echoed Greer’s remarks.

“I am sure he left under good circumstances,” Patten said.

Patten said he is headed back to his home grounds and that Wright was faced with a challenging situation when he took over the struggling hospital fresh out of bankruptcy.

“It is hard to turn around a business that is losing money, especially the hospital, which was losing millions prior to the bankruptcy.”

CIH filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Dec. 20. Chapter 11 is a legal process designed to help organizations continue operations, sell assets and restructure liabilities.

The bankruptcy was mitigated by months of serious financial losses. A report by CIH Director of Finance Mary Pfantz at the Jan. 10, 2017 corporate membership meeting revealed CIH lost $15,119,319 as of Nov. 30, 2015. One year later — as of Nov. 30, 2016, the loss had increased $3.6 million to $18,741,619.

A call to Wright seeking comment was not immediately returned.

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Contact Mike Donahey at 641-753-6611 or mdonahey@timesrepublican.

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