Governor Christine Gregoire appointed James Cook, former dean of CAHNRS, a trustee for the state’s new Life Sciences Discovery Fund, a world-class research and development fund for agriculture, biomedical and information technology.
The project will use bonus money Gregoire earned the state by negotiating a multibillion-dollar settlement with the tobacco industry. The governor said the seed money should attract $1 billion or more for the fund.
Former University of Washington President Lee Huntsman was appointed the director of the fund.
Gregoire won legislative approval for the fund in May.