Governor Brownback will announce the formation of the Kansas River Development Committee at a news conference to be held today at Kaw River State Park.

Greg Panichello from the Kansas Small Business Development Center at Fort Hays State University is among those named to the committee.

The Governor will be joined by Robin Jennison, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), and members of the committee to talk about this important step in advancing recreational use of the Kansas River and developing tourism for communities along the waterway. The committee’s work will build on the July 2012 designation of the Kansas River as a National Water Trail by U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.