we foster a family culture

Joe Barna, CPA

As of 2025, Joe Barna has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, as well as Chairman of the Board. He first joined the company in 2006 as Corporate Controller, and in 2013, he was appointed as Chief Financial Officer. In addition to these roles, Joe also served as Corporate Secretary and Secretary to the Kowa Pharmaceuticals America Board of Directors.

Before his time at Kowa, Mr. Barna served as the Corporate Controller for Waste Recycling, Inc., for 7 years. He also worked in public accounting and held various accounting roles for 12 years. During that time, he earned his CPA designation.

Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Joe earned a BS in Business Administration in Accounting from Auburn University at Montgomery. He is a motorcycle enthusiast and enjoys working out and spending time with his wife and daughter at the beach.

Craig A. Sponseller, MD

Dr. Craig A. Sponseller is the Chief Medical Officer at Kowa Pharmaceuticals America and serves on its Board of Directors. He has been with the company since 2010.

Dr. Sponseller has been practicing internal medicine for more than 12 years, specializing in gastroenterology and hepatology. He previously served as Chief Medical Officer and EVP for several medical education and pharmaceutical agencies as an advisor and consultant in brand and medical launch strategy for several US pharmaceutical products. Dr. Sponseller dedicates his time leading multiple functions within medical affairs, which includes clinical development of pipeline and marketed products from Phase 1 through Phase 4.

He frequently engages in Key Opinion Leader/Healthcare Professional education and training; heads investigator-initiated trials, continuing medical education, publication strategy, and medical information/customer data dissemination; and leads a nationally renowned team of medical science liaisons.

Craig enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter and visiting his family in Serbia and the Football Hall of Fame city of Canton, Ohio. He is also a percussionist and drummer for numerous musicians and bands of various genres.

Ken Riester

Ken Riester has been Vice President of Trade and Business Development at Kowa Pharmaceuticals America since 2009. With more than 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, he started in Sales and has achieved Director and VP level roles in sales management and operations, as well as marketing, business development, trade relations, and supply chain.

He has worked with several pharmaceutical companies including Alcon Laboratories, Bristol Myers Squibb, and PediaMed Pharmaceuticals, developing and launching products in a variety of therapeutic categories, including cardiovascular, respiratory, central nervous system, ophthalmology, allergy, and pain management.

Ken received a BS in Business Administration from Northeastern University. He enjoys spending time with his wife and four children, golfing, target practice at the gun range, horology, travel, and the pursuit of the perfect single malt.

Deborah Huxford, SHRM-CP, PHR

Deborah Huxford has been Vice President of Human Resources since 2015. As a strategic partner at Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, she directs and assists in the planning and forecasting of future needs, oversees employee relations, and develops HR processes and policies.

Before joining the company, Ms. Huxford served in several key HR leadership positions at Colonial Bank (now BB&T), focusing on employee relations, recruitment and staffing, and strategic planning. She is a Certified Professional in the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM-CP) and also is certified as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) with the HR Certification Institute.

An Alabama native, Deborah earned a BS in Human Environmental Sciences from the University of Alabama. Ms. Huxford enjoys running, surfing, and participating in different lake activities.