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After serving 16 years as Kansas Secretary of State, Ron Thornburgh has decided to enter the private sector.
Thornburgh announced Monday that he will resign the post he has held since first being elected in 1994 to take a job with a Kansas City-area company that helps design and build government Web sites.
Thornburgh said that he will step down effective Feb. 15 and become the senior vice president of sales and marketing for Olathe-based NIC Inc.
“It has been a tremendous honor and privilege to serve my fellow Kansans as Secretary of State for the last 15 years. My family and I have been very blessed by this opportunity,” Thornburgh said. “The support and friendships we have received from countless Kansans has been invaluable. Thank you to the voters and my staff for making this experience possible. I am very proud of my record and the many accomplishments throughout my years of public service.”
Thornburgh was first elected to his current post in 1994 and re-elected again in 1998, 2002 and 2006.
Among some of the accomplishments he listed during his time in office were: modernizing the office, improving efficiencies and reducing the size of the staff.
He served as president of the National Association of Secretaries of State and helped to draft the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002.
Thornburgh was recognized with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2002 Digital Government “Agent of Change” award presented after he led Kansas to national prominence in electronic services.
The award recognized Thornburgh as being one of the leading pioneers in e-government. He has worked tirelessly to find ways to make doing business with the Secretary of State’s office faster, better and cheaper for customers.
Thornburgh, a Republican, is serving his fourth term as secretary of state. He elected not to seek a fifth term this year to run for governor but abandoned the race last year.
"The Kansas Republican Party is grateful to Ron Thornburgh for his many years of leadership and service to our party and state,” said Amanda Adkins, Kansas Republican Party chair. “Thanks to him, the Kansas Republican Party has a unified plan for victory in 2010. We are committed to continuing the legacy of superb public service by Republicans in the Secretary of State Office.”
Gov. Mark Parkinson, a Democrat, will name Thornburgh’s replacement. Thornburgh’s term expires in Jan. 2011.
“Ron deserves our thanks for his many years of service to Kansas and for the past 15 years as our Secretary of State; I wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” Parkinson said in a statement. “As I begin the process of finding our new Secretary of State, I am committed to naming a Kansan who can represent the office with honor and distinction while protecting and assisting Kansas voters and businesses.”
Matthew Clark can be reached at matthew.clark@morningsun.net or at 620-231-2600, Ext. 140.
After serving 16 years as Kansas Secretary of State, Ron Thornburgh has decided to enter the private sector.
Thornburgh announced Monday that he will resign the post he has held since first being elected in 1994 to take a job with a Kansas City-area company that helps design and build government Web sites.
Thornburgh said that he will step down effective Feb. 15 and become the senior vice president of sales and marketing for Olathe-based NIC Inc.
“It has been a tremendous honor and privilege to serve my fellow Kansans as Secretary of State for the last 15 years. My family and I have been very blessed by this opportunity,” Thornburgh said. “The support and friendships we have received from countless Kansans has been invaluable. Thank you to the voters and my staff for making this experience possible. I am very proud of my record and the many accomplishments throughout my years of public service.”
Thornburgh was first elected to his current post in 1994 and re-elected again in 1998, 2002 and 2006.
Among some of the accomplishments he listed during his time in office were: modernizing the office, improving efficiencies and reducing the size of the staff.
He served as president of the National Association of Secretaries of State and helped to draft the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002.
Thornburgh was recognized with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2002 Digital Government “Agent of Change” award presented after he led Kansas to national prominence in electronic services.
The award recognized Thornburgh as being one of the leading pioneers in e-government. He has worked tirelessly to find ways to make doing business with the Secretary of State’s office faster, better and cheaper for customers.
Thornburgh, a Republican, is serving his fourth term as secretary of state. He elected not to seek a fifth term this year to run for governor but abandoned the race last year.
"The Kansas Republican Party is grateful to Ron Thornburgh for his many years of leadership and service to our party and state,” said Amanda Adkins, Kansas Republican Party chair. “Thanks to him, the Kansas Republican Party has a unified plan for victory in 2010. We are committed to continuing the legacy of superb public service by Republicans in the Secretary of State Office.”
Gov. Mark Parkinson, a Democrat, will name Thornburgh’s replacement. Thornburgh’s term expires in Jan. 2011.
“Ron deserves our thanks for his many years of service to Kansas and for the past 15 years as our Secretary of State; I wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” Parkinson said in a statement. “As I begin the process of finding our new Secretary of State, I am committed to naming a Kansan who can represent the office with honor and distinction while protecting and assisting Kansas voters and businesses.”
Matthew Clark can be reached at matthew.clark@morningsun.net or at 620-231-2600, Ext. 140.
