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DENVER--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--[ DaVita Inc. ] (NYSE: DVA), a leading provider of kidney care services that is committed to improving the quality of life for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), today announced the appointment of Christopher Riopelle as Senior Vice President of Operations. Riopelle is returning to DaVita after working in the private healthcare sector for the past three years. Previously, Riopelle was a DaVita teammate for eight years, engaging in a variety of roles. He will report to Chief Operating Officer Dennis Kogod and Chief Executive Officer Kent Thiry.

"We are always thrilled when a teammate rejoins the Village"

aThe DaVita mission, vision and values are deeply important to me and there was no other opportunity that offered as much personal and professional fulfillment as working with my DaVita teammates,a said Riopelle. aI can't describe how energized I am to get re-engaged with the DaVita Village and our great headquarter city of Denver.a

Riopelle rejoins DaVita with nearly 20 years of experience in the health care industry. He most recently served La Vie Care Centers, a private equity owned skilled nursing company,as Chief Operating Officer a" a role requiring oversight of approximately $1.0 billion in annual revenue and 19,000 employees. In that role, Riopelle helped lead a team that engineered a financial, operational and cultural turnarounds leading to the successful sale of the company last month.

aWe are always thrilled when a teammate rejoins the Village,a said Kent Thiry, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DaVita. aChris is one of those unique executives who excels regardless of the role and regardless of the challenges.a

During his previous eight years with DaVita, Riopelle served as Vice President of Corporate Development, Chief Compliance Officer, played a key role in the development of the DaVita Redwoods program and was the co-founder of Tour DaVita. Riopelle is excited to continue his engagement with Tour DaVita.

Riopelle received his juris doctor degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law and his masteras degree in business administration from University of Detroit Mercy Graduate School of Business.

DaVita and Tour DaVita are registered trademarks of DaVita Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About DaVita

DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500 company, is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita strives to improve patientsa quality of life by innovating clinical care, and by offering integrated treatment plans, personalized care teams and convenient health-management services. As of September 30, 2011, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,777 dialysis facilities, serving approximately 138,000 patients. DaVita supports numerous programs dedicated to creating positive, sustainable change in communities around the world. The companyas leadership development initiatives and social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu. For more information, please visit[ www.davita.com ].