As work continues on its new office in Olathe, the Kansas Bioscience Authority soon will have a new administrator to lead it.

Thomas Thornton starts in October as the authority’s first president and chief executive officer, the authority announced Thursday.

Thornton, who comes to the job after more than four years as president of the Illinois Technology Development Alliance, plans to be in Topeka today to attend a meeting of the Joint Committee on Economic Development at the Statehouse.

Addressing the committee will be authority Chairman Clay Blair, who has been handling the authority’s work out of his own office and says he is looking forward to having a solid executive helping foster the authority’s vision for creating a world-class biotechnology industry in Kansas.

“Tom brings many tools,” Blair said in announcing Thornton’s hiring. “He is a world-class leader. It’s easy to like Tom. He can get results.”

The authority is charged with investing proceeds from a $580 million bioscience stimulus fund during the next 15 years.

The investments help attract bioscience firms to Kansas, prompt existing ventures to grow and enable promising research and university spin-off operations to seek commercial viability.

Thornton is ready to get to work. The authority soon will open an office at Cedar Creek in Olathe.

“The Kansas Bioscience Authority is innovative,” he said. “My experience will be helpful. The opportunity is there. I can make it work. With the high level of support that exists in Kansas, we can accelerate the process to achieve the ambitious goals.”

In Illinois, Thornton developed the Technology Bridge Fund, a seed-stage fund for venture capital. He also helped establish three federal technology and commercialization centers, and a state-sponsored technology assistance program.

Previously, Thornton served as director of policy for U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., who now serves as speaker of the House.

Thornton received a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.