IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 1, 2007   

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT
Sherriene Jones-Sontag
785/296-2302

SPEAKER MAKES APPOINTMENTS TO BIOSCIENCE AUTHORITY
Applauds KBA, KSU and City of Olathe for Bioscience Partnership

Topeka – Kansas Speaker of the House of Representatives Melvin Neufeld (R-Ingalls) announced today he reappointed David Franz, D.V.M., Ph.D. and Dolph C. Simons, Jr. to the Kansas Bioscience Authority (KBA) Board of Directors.

“Dr. Franz and Mr. Simons have served Kansans well these last three years as board members,” Speaker Neufeld said.  “Their knowledge and expertise have helped KBA bring a number of bioscience companies to Kansas as well as expand others already here.  I thank them for the many hours of unselfish work they have given to KBA and to Kansas.”

Dr. Franz is Vice President and Chief Biological Scientist at Midwest Research Institute and serves as the board’s agricultural expert.  Dolph C. Simons, Jr. is chairman of The World Company of Lawrence.

“I am delighted Dr. Franz and Mr. Simons will continue their work on the KBA board,” Rep. Kenny Wilk (R-Lansing) said.  “They have provided strong leadership and great performance to Kansas and I look forward to working with them to continue to expand the Legislature’s vision of the biosciences industry in our state.”

KBA was established by the Kansas Legislature in 2004 through the Kansas Economic Growth Act (KEGA) to guide the state in its investment in the biosciences.  Since then the authority has convinced four companies to move to Kansas (including one formerly based in England) and worked with five existing Kansas biosciences companies to either expand or stay in the state.  This has created and/or kept more than 3,000 jobs in our state. 

Another important role of the KBA is to work with state university researchers and communities to advance scientific knowledge through the building of bioscience research facilities.

“I also am pleased with how KBA, Kansas State University and the City of Olathe have worked together to establish a state-of-the-art bioscience research facility in a bioscience park,” Speaker Neufeld said.  “The park will provide another tool in expanding and attracting more biosciences companies to Kansas.”

The City of Olathe is donating 90 acres near K-10 and K-7 Highways for the bioscience park.  The KBA board voted earlier this year to spend $7.6 million to build the park infrastructure in partnership with KSU.  Building of the KSU Food Safety and Research Facility would be funded by the Johnson County Education Research Triangle Authority if approved by Johnson County voters next year.  The KBA will work to bring other animal and plant research companies to the bioscience park.

 “Our state has established itself as a world-leader in animal and plant biosciences.  The research triangle as envisioned by the 2007 Kansas Legislature in Senate Bill 115 is becoming reality and will build upon the commitment to animal and plant research made by KSU, its more than 160 scientists and the nearly 200 animal health companies already in Kansas,”  Neufeld said. 

-30-