Ernest Mario, PhD
Venture Partner and SAB Member
Ernie has 40 years of experience in the research-based pharmaceutical industry. His career began in 1966 as a pharmaceutical researcher at Strasenburgh Laboratories in Rochester, NY. He later held various management positions within SmithKline and Squibb Corp., overseeing operations, quality control, and manufacturing. He joined Glaxo plc in 1986, and subsequently served as Chief Executive and Deputy Chairman, during which time he oversaw the launch of five major brands that grew the company's sales and profits by nearly 15 percent annually. In 1993, Ernie joined Alza Corporation as CEO, where he ultimately consummated one of the largest mergers in pharmaceutical history. In 2001, Ernie founded Apothogen, Inc., a company involved in early stage pharmaceutical development, which subsequently merged with IntraBiotics, Inc. He recently retired from Reliant Pharmaceuticals where he served as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors since 2003.
Ernie is an adjunct professor of pharmacy at the University of Rhode Island and also holds honorary doctorates from the University of Rhode Island and Rutgers University. In addition to his service on the boards of several publicly traded corporations, Ernie is active in numerous educational and healthcare organizations, including Duke University, where he is a trustee and Chairman of the Duke University Health System Board.
Ernie has been a member of Pappas Ventures' Scientific Advisory Board since 2002 and became a Venture Advisor with Pappas Ventures in April 2007.
Education
Rutgers University (Bachelor of Science, Pharmacy)
University of Rhode Island (PhD, Physical Sciences)