Topeka ? Kansas House Speaker Melvin Neufeld has reappointed David Franz and Dolph C. Simons Jr. to the Kansas Bioscience Authority board of directors.

Franz is vice president and chief biological scientist at Midwest Research Institute, and Simons is chairman of The World Company of Lawrence, which owns the Lawrence Journal-World.

“Dr. Franz and Simons have served Kansans well these last three years as board members,” Neufeld said Friday.

He said their knowledge and expertise had helped bring several bioscience companies to Kansas.

State Rep. Kenny Wilk, R-Lansing, said the two board members “have provided strong leadership and great performance to Kansas.”

The Kansas Bioscience Authority was established in 2004 to guide the state’s investments in biosciences.