Storm Lake health center names new CEO focused on rural care

Peter Atiemo has taken over United Community Health Center with a rural-care mission that will be judged in very practical terms: whether Buena Vista County families can get in faster, find the right services locally and keep seeing familiar faces instead of driving elsewhere for care.

Atiemo moved to the Storm Lake area in October from the Duluth, Minnesota area with his wife, Amanda, and their young son, Ephraim. He brought nine years of healthcare experience with him, along with a résumé shaped by both clinical and administrative training. Atiemo earned a bachelor of science with minors in business administration, coaching and French cooking, a master of science in exercise physiology and an MBA, and he is working toward a master’s in health administration.

His family story is tied closely to the move. Amanda Atiemo, who is from Gary, Minnesota, met him at Valley City State University in North Dakota. She earned a degree in accounting there and spent 14 years as a local government auditor with the Minnesota State Auditors Office before staying home with Ephraim. The couple is also expecting another baby in July, a sign that the leadership change at UCHC came with a major personal transition as well.

Atiemo’s pitch for rural care is straightforward. In a smaller community, providers and staff can know patients by name and face, and that relationship can shape how care is delivered. He also brings experience coaching baseball, helping with youth hockey and taking part in church and ministry work, which should make him a visible figure well beyond the clinic walls.

The size of United Community Health Center’s role in Storm Lake explains why the CEO job matters. The center says it has been growing and developing in the Storm Lake region since opening in March 2006. The Health Resources and Services Administration identifies it as one of 14 federally qualified health centers in Iowa, primarily covering Buena Vista and Sac counties. The center says it provides medical, dental and behavioral health services, with in-person Spanish interpreters and Language Line integrated into provider teams.

The numbers show how deeply UCHC is woven into local care. A nonprofit profile reported that in 2022 the center served 6,082 patients from more than 117 ZIP codes through 17,916 clinic visits, including 2,685 behavioral health visits. UCHC also participates in the federal 340B drug pricing program, and a contract pharmacy record lists Hy-Vee Pharmacy in Storm Lake as a participating pharmacy.

Atiemo is stepping in as UCHC marks 20 years of service in 2026 and expands access with obstetrics services. For Storm Lake and nearby rural communities, the question now is how quickly that philosophy of personal, local care turns into better access, broader services and fewer reasons to leave town for treatment.