Bayer leader co-chairs Kansas Innovation Consortium

Shawnee, Kan. — Joerg Ohle, president and general manager of Bayer Animal Health, accepted an invitation from Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to co-chair the Kansas Innovation Consortium, a new initiative aimed at stimulating economic growth in Kansas.

Ohle will work with Sebelius to mobilize a diverse coalition of leaders from industry, government and academia to develop policies and programs that accelerate research and development investments across high-tech industry clusters, including aerospace; animal, plant and life sciences; and biofuels.

Oehle is chairman of the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor, a member of the Heartland BioAgro Consortium formed to attract the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility to Manhattan, Kan., and a member of several boards, including the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute and Midwest Research Institute.

During his tenure as chair of the Animal Health Corridor, Kansas has attracted new animal-health companies to the region and encouraged others to expand.