Topeka ? Gov. Kathleen Sebelius named a Lenexa physician to the state Board of Healing Arts to replace a member she had asked to resign because of a controversy involving his medical license in Missouri.

Sebelius on Friday named Dr. Michael Beezley, 58, a vascular surgeon, to a term expiring in 2009. He replaced Dr. Howard Ellis, of Leawood, who was appointed in July but was asked to leave the board in August after news reports that he retired his medical license in Missouri rather than face a disciplinary hearing in that state.

At the time, the governor’s office said it hadn’t checked with the Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts, which alleged in a 2003 complaint that Ellis tried to persuade another doctor to alter records and submitted erroneous medical records to investigators in another case. Ellis admitted no wrongdoing.

This time, the governor’s office checked with Missouri, where Beezley also is licensed, and found no problems.

“In the past we only checked with the Kansas board. From our recent experience, we decided it was wise to expand that a little bit,” said Sebelius spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran.

Beezley practices in Shawnee Mission and is a clinical assistant professor of surgery at the University of Kansas College of Health Services and Hospital.

He graduated from the Air Force Academy and received his medical degree in 1973 from KU.

While at Travis Air Force Base in California, Beezley was chief of vascular surgery from 1980-84 and was chief of general surgery from 1982-84.

When Ellis resigned last month, Larry Buening, the board’s executive director, said his resignation wouldn’t stop an investigation by the panel into what led to Ellis’ retiring his Missouri license.

Ellis, 52, of Leawood, served three previous terms on the board and was its president from 1996-97 and 2002-03. When he stepped down, Ellis issued a statement saying, “Recent events have placed me in the spotlight, and it is best for all parties to move ahead without such distraction.”

The 15-member board, appointed by the governor, has five medical doctors, three osteopaths, three chiropractors, one podiatrist and three members from the general public.

The board is responsible for regulating 14 health care professions, enforcing state regulations and investigating allegations of misconduct.