Executive Management Team

Michael R. Garone, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary, joined Emisphere in August 2007. Mr. Garone was the previous CFO and Interim Chief Executive Officer of Astralis, Ltd., a biotechnology company. Prior to that, Mr. Garone spent two decades at AT&T, where he held a variety of positions, including CFO of AT&T Alascom. Mr. Garone received his MBA from Columbia University and is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma. He received his B.A. in Mathematics from Colgate University.

M. Gary I. Riley, DVM, Ph.D., Vice President, Nonclinical Development and Applied Biology, joined Emisphere in October 2007. Dr. Riley is a graduate veterinarian with degrees from Sydney University and Melbourne University and was awarded a Ph.D. in Comparative Pathology from the University of Missouri, Columbia. He was Associate Professor of Veterinary Pathology at Iowa State University before entering the private sector. Previously, Dr. Riley was the Vice President of Toxicology and Applied Biology at Alkermes, Inc. and Director of Pathobiology at Lederle Laboratories. Dr. Riley is certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and the American Board of Toxicology. His professional contributions include over 50 scientific publications and preclinical submissions to the U.S. FDA and EU drug registration agencies.

Ronald Zesch, Vice President Manufacturing and Technology, joined Emisphere in April 2010. Mr. Zesch comes to Emisphere with over 28 years of experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing. In his most recent capacity at Organon, part of Schering Plough/Merck, he managed the Organon Allentown, PA Packaging and Distribution facility. Mr. Zesch was also part of the Organon Corporate Executive Leadership Team and had responsibility for Planning, Procurement and Facility Operations at the Roseland, NJ facility. During his time at Organon Mr. Zesch also held various positions in the Quality organization and in Manufacturing. Prior to Organon, Mr. Zesch worked at Sandoz as a research chemist. After graduating from Wagner College with a degree in Chemistry, Mr. Zesch received his MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University.