Former U.S. Transportation Secretary and U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood has been named to lead the Edgar Fellows program, which promotes bipartisan leadership in Illinois government. He succeeds its founder, the late Gov. Jim Edgar.

LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Peoria who went on to serve in Democratic President Barack Obama’s Cabinet, has been a longtime contributor to the program’s annual leadership seminar.

He was named distinguished director of the program by the nonprofit board Wednesday and will take on a larger role in outreach and civic engagement as well as in supporting the financial sustainability of the organization’s initiatives.

“Edgar Fellows is Jim’s living legacy to the State of Illinois,” former Illinois first lady Brenda Edgar said in a statement. “The entire Edgar family is pleased that longtime friend and respected Illinoisian Ray LaHood will be joining the organization in this important role.

We know that he will continue to reinforce the importance of principled, bipartisan leadership.”

Edgar, a two-term Republican governor who served from 1991 to 1999, died on Sept. 14 at the age of 79 from complications of pancreatic cancer. A popular moderate, he founded the Fellows Program in 2012, which annually brings together 40 early- to mid-career professionals to explore leadership and public policy. The program, affiliated with the University of Illinois, reflects Illinois’ geographic, ethnic and political diversity.

In a statement, LaHood thanked Brenda Edgar and the board of directors “for their trust and confidence to lead this outstanding program.”

“I am honored and humbled to be named distinguished director of Edgar Fellows,” LaHood said. “We plan to continue with the vision of our beloved Gov. Edgar to recognize and develop bipartisan leadership for Illinois.”