UnityPoint Health-Des Moines has appointed Eric Lothe as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Lothe will assume day-to-day leadership immediately, succeeding David Stark, who was named president and CEO in June. “Eric is a proven leader within our organization who lives our values each and every day,” Stark said in a release. “I cannot think of a better person to oversee the day-to-day operations of our organization.” Lothe began working at UnityPoint Health-Des Moines in 2009. Since that time, he has held multiple positions throughout the organization, including vice president and administrator for Iowa Lutheran Hospital, vice president of operations for UnityPoint Health-Des Moines, and chief administrative officer for Iowa Lutheran. He has a Master of Healthcare Administration degree from the University of Minnesota. He received his Bachelor of Arts in management from the University of Northern Iowa.