Stephen O’Connor isn’t sure his home state of Kansas can be a major player in the bioscience industry.

But O’Connor, a biotech entrepreneur who lives in Pasadena, Calif., is willing to lend his efforts in support of the cause.

The Leavenworth native was one of nine people appointed Monday to the Kansas Bioscience Authority, which will apportion an estimated $500 million created by the Kansas Economic Growth Act.

“A ton of states are trying to make bioscience and technology part of their economy,” O’Connor said. “It’s going to be an uphill battle. It’s not going to be easy. But the potential payout is quite good.”

The board members, who await confirmation this fall by a Senate committee, are a mix of Kansas residents and experts from other parts of the country, most of whom have Kansas ties. The appointments were made by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corp. and legislative leaders.

In addition to O’Connor, CEO of the biotech firm Nanostream, the board will include Victoria Franchetti Haynes, president and CEO of RTI International at the Research Triangle in Raleigh/Durham, N.C.; Sandra Lawrence, senior vice president of Midwest Research Institute in Kansas City, Mo.; Bill Sanford, CEO of NanoScale Materials in Manhattan; Clay Blair, Johnson County real estate developer and former chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents; David Franz, director of the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center at Kansas State University; Dolph C. Simons Jr., chairman of The World Company, which owns the Journal-World; Dan Glickman, former Congressman and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and incoming president of the Motion Picture Association of America; and state Sen. Jim Barone, D-Frontenac.

“It looks to me like a group of world-class individuals, taken collectively,” said Rep. Kenny Wilk, the Lansing Republican who co-authored the Economic Growth Act. “I think they clearly have an opportunity make a significant difference to develop a big part of the Kansas economy. I think they’ll be looked upon as making Kansas history.”

In addition to the nine voting members, the Kansas Board of Regents already has appointed two ex-officio members — Robert Hemenway, chancellor of Kansas University, and Jon Wefald, president of KSU.

The Economic Growth Act, approved by the 2004 Kansas Legislature, will use tax dollars generated by growth in the life sciences industry to fund enhancements to university research and business development. It is expected to generate $500 million over the next 10 years.

The board is expected to begin meeting in September, said Tracy Taylor, president and CEO of KTEC. He said the board will determine whether to issue bonds to pay for its projects or spend money as it is generated. He also expects the board will quickly establish a review process for deciding which projects merit funding.

Jim Roberts, vice provost for research at KU, said the university isn’t waiting to prepare its proposal for Bioscience Authority money. He said he will appoint a committee in upcoming weeks to prepare the proposal.

The request likely will include money for research facilities and KU’s portion of the 25 “eminent scholars” and 35 “rising star” scholars that will be hired for state universities.

“It’ll be starting off with what contribution the University of Kansas can make,” Roberts said. “This is ultimately coming down to economic development and job growth, and how KU can play into that.”

O’Connor, the Pasadena board member, said determining the state’s existing strengths and weaknesses will play a major part in how successful the Economic Growth Act becomes.

“You can’t be the best in the world at everything,” he said. “This certainly is a possibility, but only if there’s that focus.”

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius announced Monday the appointment of nine members to the Kansas Bioscience Authority. Pending confirmation by the Kansas Senate, members will be: ¢ Victoria Franchetti Haynes, president and CEO of RTI International at the Research Triangle in Raleigh/Durham, N.C. RTI International provides a variety of health, environmental, education, training, science and engineering services for government, industry and universities. She was appointed by Sebelius. Haynes ¢ Sandra Lawrence, senior vice president of the Midwest Research Institute, a nonprofit laboratory in Kansas City, Mo., that conducts scientific research and technology development for government and industry. She was appointed by Sebelius. Lawrence ¢ Bill Sanford, CEO of NanoScale Materials in Manhattan, a spin-off from research conducted at Kansas State University. He is a KSU graduate and was appointed by Dave Kerr, Senate president. Sanford ¢ Clay Blair, a Johnson County businessman and real estate developer. Blair is a former chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents and currently is chairman of the Kansas Research Enhancement Building Corp. He was appointed by Kerr. Blair ¢ David Franz, director of the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center at Kansas State University. Franz, a KSU graduate, also is chief biological scientist and head of the Consulting for Biological Defense Group at Midwest Research Institute. He was appointed by Doug Mays, speaker of the house. Franz ¢ Dolph C. Simons Jr., chairman of The World Company, which owns the Journal-World, Sunflower Broadband and World Online. Simons is a KU graduate who was appointed by Mays. Simons ¢ Dan Glickman, former Congressman and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and incoming president of the Motion Picture Association of America. Glickman was appointed by Dennis McKinney, House minority leader. Glickman ¢ State Sen. Jim Barone, a Democrat from Frontenac. Barone, a retired manager at Southwestern Bell, was appointed by Anthony Hensley, Senate minority leader. Barone ¢ Stephen O’Connor, CEO of the biotech firm Nanostream in Pasadena, Calif. O’Connor is a native of Leavenworth who was appointed by the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corp. O’Connor