Released: December 2, 2005

Commissioner Robert Wooley announced today that Clarissa A. Preston has been named Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Property and Casualty. Scott Kipper is now Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Health Insurance.

Clarissa A. Preston, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Property and Casualty

Ms. Preston is a New Orleans native and a graduate of McDonogh #35 Senior High School. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Louisiana State University in 1994. Ms. Preston started her career at the Department of Insurance in 1997 in the Agent Licensing Division. She also worked in the Office of Management and Finance, then moved to P&C, where she was most recently Director of Insurance Rating and Policy Forms, before being chosen by Commissioner Wooley to head the entire division.

In addition to being a licensed Property & Casualty and Life & Health producer (licenses temporarily suspended while a Department employee), Ms. Preston is also a Certified Insurance Counselor, a Commissioned Civil Law Notary Public and a Paralegal. She is a member of many professional and civic organizations, including the Association of Insurance Compliance Professionals and the Insurance Regulatory Examiners Society. She also serves as president of the Kiwanis Club of South Baton Rouge and holds offices in several other community service organizations. The employees of the Department of Insurance also named Ms. Preston Employee of the Year in 2002.

Ms. Preston's appointment comes as former P&C Deputy Commissioner Paula Pellerin-Davis heads to the private sector. Commissioner Wooley credits Ms. Davis for her vital role in the implementation of such insurance reforms as Flexible Rating, Commercial Deregulation and the Citizens Corporation.

Scott J. Kipper, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Health Insurance

Until his recent appointment at the Department, Scott Kipper served for more than four years as Senior Regional Director of State Affairs for America's Health Insurance Plans, where he was responsible for the management of health insurance-related legislative and regulatory activities in eight states, including Texas and California.

Mr. Kipper has also worked as Government Relations Manager and Field Product Leader for long-term care insurer General Electric Capital Assurance Company, in California. He also served as a Health Analyst for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) in Washington, D.C. While at the NAIC, Mr. Kipper was a primary resource on federal and state senior health insurance issues, and he assisted state regulators in implementing changes to senior health insurance laws and regulations.

Mr. Kipper has also served as a legislative liaison for the Wyoming Department of Insurance and that state's Legislature. He was also a licensed independent Life and Health producer in Wyoming. Mr. Kipper holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Wyoming.

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