Peter Egan of Covington, CEO of Egan Healthcare Services, will replace attorney Lawrence E. “Larry” Abbott on the Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission, better known as the Causeway Commission.

Gov. Bobby Jindal appointed Egan on the recommendation of a member of the St. Tammany Parish legislative delegation after Abbott’s resignation earlier this week.

Causeway general manager Robert Lambert said he received notification of Egan’s appointment on Wednesday, a day after Abbott’s resignation. “Mr. Egan has a excellent reputation professionally and personally. He also has very high standards and we are excited to have him on board,” Lambert said.

Abbott resigned the seat on the Tuesday after serving for about three weeks, citing a “conflict of interest” as his reason for stepping down.

According to a media release from the commission, “Abbott believed that a longtime feud involving a former co-board member of a private school would result in an endless distraction from the commission’s work.”

Lambert said that Abbott was concerned that a personal attack on him would become a distraction to the commission with a personal harassment.

Lambert said that he and Abbott had met several times to prepare for Abbott’s first meeting, but Abbott resigned before the first commission meeting took place.

The commission regulates, operates and controls the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, including the bridge system and the causeway approach road system on the Northshore.

The seat that Egan fills is the fifth seat on the commission and alternates between St. Tammany and Jefferson parishes. The term is for one year.

“I am extremely grateful and honored to be named to the commission.” said Egan. “I have been a commuter for the past 17 years. It is extremely important for commuters, families and visitors and is a vital part of the infrastructure and economic engine of the region. As such, it needs to be maintained, nurtured and developed. I hope to ensure that this continues.”

He added that historically, the quality structure is important to both sides of the lake. Egan said, “The bridge is one of the things that helped both sides of the lake recover after Hurricane Katrina.”

Egan’s first meeting as a commissioner will be at the Aug. 24 meeting.

Egan is also a member of the prestigious Pharmacy Advisory Board of the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

Lambert said he will be meeting with Egan extensively to prepare him for his first commission meeting. He added that since Egan has been a commuter, he is already familiar with many aspects of the bridge.