TBED People

Tom Thornton, president and CEO of the Kansas Bioscience Authority, submitted his letter of resignation to the board effective immediately. David Vranicar, president of the authority's Heartland BioVentures division, was named interim president and CEO.

Spencer Eccles, executive director of the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development has named Sophia DiCaro as his new deputy director. Prior to this appointment, DiCaro served as the GOED Finance director.

Ann Arbor SPARK has selected Paul Krutko, a Silicon Valley economic development executive, as its next CEO. Krutko, who currently serves as secretary/treasurer of the International Economic Development Council, most recently led the economic development initiatives of the city of San Jose as chief development officer. Krutko succeeds, Michael Finney, who resigned to become CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

Dean Monske, has been named president and CEO of the Regional Growth Partnership. Monske returns to the RGP after serving the City of Toledo as deputy mayor for external relations.

The new Office of Energy Development within the Utah Department of Environmental Quality that was created during the last legislative session will be led by Samantha Mary Julian, who has led energy resource management for the Governor's Office of Economic Development.