Board of Directors

Craig A. Collard has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer and the chairman of our board of directors since the consummation of our merger with Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc., or Cornerstone BioPharma, on October 31, 2008. We refer to this transaction as the “Merger.” In March 2004, Mr. Collard founded Cornerstone Biopharma Holdings, Ltd. (the assets and operations of which were restructured as Cornerstone BioPharma in May 2005), and served as its President and Chief Executive Officer and a director from March 2004 to October 2008. Before founding Cornerstone BioPharma, Mr. Collard’s principal occupation was serving as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Carolina Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company he founded in May 2003. From August 2002 to February 2003, Mr. Collard served as Vice President of Sales for Verum Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. From 1998 to 2002, Mr. Collard worked as Director of National Accounts at DJ Pharma, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company which was eventually purchased by Biovail Pharmaceuticals, Inc. His pharmaceutical career began in 1992 as a field sales representative at Dura Pharmaceuticals, Inc., or Dura. He was later promoted to several other sales and marketing positions within Dura. Mr. Collard is a member of the board of directors of Hilltop Home Foundation, a Raleigh, North Carolina, non-profit corporation, in addition to our board of directors. Mr. Collard holds a B.S. in Engineering from the Southern College of Technology (now Southern Polytechnic State University) in Marietta, Georgia. 

Michael Heffernan has served on our board of directors since the consummation of the Merger. Since 2002, Mr. Heffernan has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes products to treat central nervous system, respiratory and skin-related disorders. From 1999 to 2001, Mr. Heffernan served as President and Chief Executive Officer of PhyMatrix Corp., an integrated health care services company. From 1995 to 1999, Mr. Heffernan served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Clinical Studies Ltd., a pharmaceutical clinical development company. From 1987 to 1994, Mr. Heffernan served in a variety of sales and marketing positions with Eli Lilly and Company, a pharmaceutical company. Mr. Heffernan has also served on the board of directors of TyRx Pharma, Inc. since 2002. Mr. Heffernan holds a B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Connecticut and is a Registered Pharmacist. He brings to our board of directors a depth of experience in sales and marketing and knowledge regarding pharmaceutical development and working with contract research organizations.

Christopher Codeanne has served on our board of directors since the consummation of the Merger. Since April 2008, Mr. Codeanne has served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Oncology Development Partners, LLC (d/b/a Oncopartners), a specialized international oncology contract research organization. From December 2006 through April 2008, Mr. Codeanne served as the Chief Financial Officer of Averion International Corp., or Averion, a publicly traded international contract research organization. Prior to Averion, from 2002 through July 2006, Mr. Codeanne was the Chief Financial Officer of SCIREX Corporation (which was acquired by Premier Research Group plc in 2006), or SCIREX, an international, full-service clinical research organization. From 1999 to 2002, Mr. Codeanne served as Director of Finance of SCIREX. Mr. Codeanne is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants and Financial Executives International. Mr. Codeanne holds a B.A. in Accounting from Fairfield University and an MBA from the University of Connecticut. He brings to our board of directors a depth of experience in financial analysis and reporting and knowledge regarding pharmaceutical development and working with contract research organizations.

Michael Enright has served on our board of directors since the consummation of the Merger. Mr. Enright has served as Chief Financial Officer for Ockham Development Group Inc., a global contract research organization, since its merger with Atlantic Search Group, Inc., a staff augmentation and functional outsourcing services organization serving pharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations in the United States and India, where he held the same position since 1995. Prior to 1995, Mr. Enright held positions in employee benefits administration with Hauser Insurance Group and The Prudential Insurance Company, and in financial management with General Electric Company’s aerospace business group. Mr. Enright holds a B.A. in Finance from Villanova University and an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler School of Business of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He brings to our board of directors a depth of experience in strategic planning and organizational development and human resources.

Alessandro Chiesi has served on our board of directors since the closing of the Chiesi Transaction. Dr. Chiesi has been employed by Chiesi holding various positions. Since May 2005, he has served as the Affiliates Coordinator of the International Division. From May 2002 through November 2004, he was the Managing Director of Asche-Chiesi GmbH. Between 1995 and 2002, he held positions including assistant to the CEO and project leader for various mergers and acquisitions. Dr. Chiesi has served on the boards of directors of the following companies: Master Pharma S.r.l. since July 1990, Chiesi Hellas Pharmaceuticals S.A. since April 1998, Chiesi S.A. since September 1999, Promedica S.r.l. since May 2001, Chiesi Farmaceutici, S.p.A. since January 2004, Valline S.r.l. since May 2004, Chiesi Pharmaceuticals B.V. since February 2007 and DOC Generici S.r.l. since November 2008. He brings to our board of directors a depth of experience in global business development, strategic business planning and risk assessment and the integration and management of transnational joint ventures.

Anton Giorgio Failla has served on our board of directors since the closing of the Chiesi Transaction. Since July 2008, Dr. Failla has served as Head of Corporate Development of Chiesi. Prior to his employment at Chiesi, from 2004 to 2008, Dr. Failla served as the CFO of Sorin Group, a medical device company, based in Milan, Italy and as its Senior Vice President of Operations based in Denver, Colorado. From 2000 to 2004, Dr. Failla served as Vice President, Business Development and Strategic Planning at Novartis Consumer Health at its Headquarters in Switzerland. Prior to Novartis, Dr. Failla held various positions in business development at Medtronic Inc., both in the U.S. and in Europe. Dr. Failla has served and serves on the boards of directors of several private companies in Europe and the United States: Bellco S.r.l. (April 2004-January 2007), Sorin Biomedica Cardio S.r.l. (April 2004-April 2005), Biofin Holding International N.V. (July 2004 -June 2006), Ela Medical S.a.s. (April 2004-June 2006), Sorin Biomedica CRM S.r.l. (April 2007-July 2008), Sorin Group International S.A. (December 2005-June 2006), Casino’Municipale Campione d’Italia (August 2007-June 2009), and Phenomix Corporation Inc. (from February 2010). Dr. Failla holds a Master in Business Administration from SDA Bocconi and a doctorate in Electronic Engineering from Polytechnic of Turin. He brings to our Board a depth of experience in the areas of strategic planning, finance, business development and operations management.

Robert M. Stephan has served on our board of directors since the closing of the Chiesi Transaction. Mr. Stephan is an experienced business attorney currently in private practice in New Canaan, Connecticut. With over 40 years experience, Mr. Stephan concentrates his law practice on domestic and international business transactions and serves as chief counsel to small and mid-sized companies and local counsel to foreign companies with operations in the United States. Mr. Stephan has served as Vice President and Secretary since 1997 and as a director since April 2009, of Chiesi Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a subsidiary of Chiesi. Prior to opening his private practice in 1997 and after initial training with the Office of the General Counsel of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington D.C. and the law firm of Day, Berry & Howard in Hartford, Connecticut, Mr. Stephan embarked on a career as in-house counsel with publicly traded corporations. He served as Vice President and Group General Counsel for General Mills Inc; Vice President and Associate General Counsel for US Surgical Corporation ; Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for Erbamont N.V. (Montedison Group); and Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for American Maize Products Corporation. Mr. Stephan has advised boards of directors on corporate governance matters and is a former member of the National Association of Corporate Directors. Mr. Stephan is a former Captain/Judge Advocate in the United States Marine Corps and an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Wisconsin. Mr. Stephan holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics and political science from Lawerence University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin Law School. He brings to our Board a depth of experience in all areas of corporate governance, with particular emphasis on the governance of transnational joint ventures.

Marco Vecchia has served as Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs at Chiesi since 1987. Mr. Vecchia holds a degree in law from the University of Parma. Mr. Vecchia has also served on the boards of directors of the following companies: Chiesi Pharmaceuticals Shanghai Co. Ltd. (Wfoe), China, since June 2008; Cheshire Healthcare Limited, England, since January 2003; Chiesi Limited, England, since May 1999; Chiesi Healthcare Limited, England, since May 1999; Chiesi S.A., France, since April 2002; Chiesi Hellas Pharmaceuticals S.A., Greece, since April 1998; Chiesi Int. H. B.V., Holland, since April 2008; Chiesi Pharmaceuticals B.V., Holland, since February 2007; Opocrin S.P.A., Italy, since November 2008; Opocrin S.r.l., Italy, since November 2008; Novadynamics Healthcare S.r.l., Italy, since May 2007; Chiesi Pharmaceuticals Pvt Limited, Pakistan, since November 2001; Chiesi España S.A., Spain, since April 2000; Chiesi Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA, since April 1992. He brings to our Board a depth of experience in the areas of mergers and acquisitions and transnational joint ventures, pharmaceutical IP licensing, risk management and corporate governance.