Released: January 11, 2007

Commissioner of Insurance Jim Donelon has appointed Edward O�Brien to serve as the Deputy Commissioner of the Department's Office of Property & Casualty. O�Brien�s appointment will become effective January 21, 2008.

Commissioner Donelon is delighted to bring O�Brien on board with the Department of Insurance. �Due to his vast knowledge in the property and casualty insurance business in Louisiana, Mr. O�Brien will be a valued asset to the Department,� Donelon said.

O�Brien will be leaving the position of vice president of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Louisiana, where he has served for the past four years. He has worked in the insurance industry for the past 30 years, the last 20 years which he spent in Louisiana. He is currently a licensed property and casualty insurance agent (insurance license will become temporarily inactive due to his employment at the Department of Insurance). He has varied experience in the insurance sector including marketing, underwriting and management.

�I look forward to working with Commissioner Donelon to make property and casualty insurance more affordable and available in Louisiana,� O�Brien said.

O�Brien graduated high school in Sioux City, Iowa and attended college at Kansas State University and the University of Montana.

This position has been vacant since September 24, 2007 when Clarissa Preston moved from this position to become the Deputy Commissioner of the newly created Office of Consumer Advocacy within the Department of Insurance.

-30-