OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A man who resigned a state post in Florida after he was accused of ethical lapses has been hired as interim administrator of a state agency in Oklahoma.

Board chairman Larry Shea confirmed yesterday that Jerry Regier was chosen to head up the Board of Construction Industries of Oklahoma until a permanent director is named.

Regier served in the administration of former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating as secretary of health and human services.

He was acting director of the Oklahoma Department of Health after a scandal erupted involving ghost employees and bribery of a deputy commissioner. Regier also ran for the Republican nomination for governor in 2002 but dropped out of the race.

Regier became secretary of the Department of Children and Families in Florida under former Governor Jeb Bush.

He resigned in 2004 after an auditor's report detailed favors Regier received from a contractor who did almost 2 million dollars in contract work with the Florida agency Regier headed.