Gerald T. Proehl

When Gerald T. Proehl arrived in San Diego in 1999 to head Santarus, it was an early-stage startup with two venture capital investors and two part-time employees that had just closed a first round of funding to the tune of $4.8 million.

Now a $130 million specialty biopharmaceutical company, Santarus acquires, develops and commercializes drugs that prevent and treat gastrointestinal diseases. Its principal product is Zegerid, a one-of-a-kind immediate release oral proton pump inhibitor.