American Heart Association Announces Leadership for 25th Anniversary Heart Ball
UnityPoint Health, Mercy Medical Center join forces to fight No.1 killer of Iowans
Des Moines, (July 26, 2017) – Leaders from Iowa’s two major health systems will come together to chair the 25th Anniversary Greater Des Moines Heart Ball, to be held Saturday, February 10, 2018 at Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center. Eric Crowell, CEO of UnityPoint Health Des Moines, and Bob Ritz, CEO of Mercy Health Network, will co-chair the annual black tie event that draws nearly 1,000 attendees and will feature live and silent auctions, dinner, and live entertainment.
Crowell and Ritz will lead a volunteer committee of local business executives to raise $650,000 through corporate sponsorships and individual donations. Members of the Executive Leadership Team include:
David Brown, Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Josh Cook, Community Choice Credit Union
Matt Lundberg, NAI Optimum
Trent Murphy, CJM Financial
Jonathan Roth, Aureon (not pictured)
Scott Stice, Farm Bureau Financial Services
Zach Stubbs, West Bank
Mark Witte, Ernst & Young
Mee Yang-Lee, Principal Financial Group
The funds raised through Heart Ball will be used to support local efforts to build healthier lives free of heart disease and stroke, which kill one in three Americans each year. The American Heart Association is currently investing more than $16 million into research and education projects in the state of Iowa as part of their goal to reduce deaths from heart disease and stroke by 20% while improving the lives of all Americans by 20% by the year 2020.
