The Next Chapter in the Corridor

Nov. 10, 2010  |  By: Lynn Parman  |  Category: Biosciences, KC Animal Health Corridor
Tags: Animal Health Center of Innovation, George Heidgerken, Joerg Ohle, Kansas Bioscience Authority, NBAF

My favorite time of day is reading books with my six year old daughter, Riley.  Riley and I are in the midst of reading the classic children’s book, Charlotte’s Web.  At first she had trouble getting interested in the book but after a few chapters of twists and turns, she is now hooked.  She especially likes the main character, Fern, as she nurtures her new best friend, Wilbur, the pig.

Reading Charlotte’s Web reminds me a little of the KC Animal Health Corridor and the evolution of this very successful initiative.  In the first few chapters of the Corridor initiative, we introduced one of our main characters; Joerg Ohle, former President & General Manager of Bayer Animal Health.

As our first Chairman of the Advisory Board; Joerg got our “book” started on the right page at the right time.  The community had just become aware of this cluster of animal health assets and Joerg was a fabulous salesman for the Corridor.  He hooked our community and the entire animal health industry on his vision of being the center of this growing sector of our economy.  People were willing to turn the page and follow our story.

Joerg also brought the local animal health industry together to believe that by creating this now globally recognized Animal Health Corridor, there would be more opportunities for each of the companies and assets within the region.  Now, five years later, I think all would agree that he was right.

The Corridor has moved onto a new chapter this year.  We are now five years old, have a new Chairman of the Board and are embarking on some key initiatives that will take the Corridor to a whole new level.

With Joerg Ohle’s departure for a new position with Bayer Corporation, George Heiderken, President & CEO of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, was selected as the new Chairman of the Board.  George and the Advisory Board are focused on the following Strategic Priorities for the Corridor:

1)    Establishment of the world’s only Animal Health Center of Innovation – through partnership with the Kansas Bioscience Authority

2)    Development of an interaction strategy for the Corridor with the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility

3)    Enhancement of animal health educational and training offerings to meet the current and future workforce needs of Corridor employers.

George is really focused on leveraging the firm foundation of the Corridor and creating substantive programs that will sustain the Corridor well into the future.  I am convinced that George and the Corridor Advisory Board will continue to make the Corridor a page turner for our stakeholders and the entire animal health industry.

We do need more readers of the Corridor story.  There are so many ways to get involved with the Corridor either by reading our newsletter, attending our many local events or by just following our story.  Please see the Corridor’s website for events and ways to get involved at www.kcanimalhealth.com.

Riley and I are now reading the Chapter where Wilbur, the pig, meets his new friend, Charlotte, the spider.  She is enjoying the book so much that she keeps telling me that she doesn’t want the book to ever end.

Neither do I.