People

Dallas-based Republic Cos. has named Joseph E. Mattingly president and chief executive officer.

Since 2006 Mattingly has served as senior vice president — insurance operations, and president of insurance companies of property/casualty insurer Meadowbrook Insurance Group.

Mattingly began his 31-year career as an underwriter and subsequently assumed a range of management and operational responsibilities covering underwriting, claims, business development, marketing, IT and reinsurance.

Mattingly succeeds Parker W. Rush who resigned as CEO and president of Republic effective March 11.

Republic provides personal and commercial property/casualty insurance products through a group of insurance companies and related entities collectively known as The Republic Group. Republic distributes its products through a network of independent agents primarily in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Mississippi and Arkansas.

John Polak has been named general manager of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA). Polak has served as interim general manager for the association since April 2011.

Polak has more than 39 years of industry experience, including management positions in financial, actuarial, underwriting and claims handling. He has worked in both the public and private sectors, and has served as the head of a state agency.

As CEO of a major insurance company, he dealt directly with regulators in all 50 states. In addition, he has managed claims organizations that handled a daily claims volume in catastrophe-prone areas, and was directly involved in responses to loss events due to hurricanes Rita, Katrina, Charlie, Ivan, Jeanne and others.

Polak earned his CPCU designation in 1976.

Texas Mutual Insurance Co. hired Bill Jackson as senior manager of underwriting and marketing in Dallas.

He will manage marketing and underwriting policies and procedures in Texas Mutual’s Dallas regional office. He also will focus on building agency relationships, creating revenue and developing staff.

Jackson has more than 20 years of experience in the commercial insurance industry. In prior positions, he was instrumental in adding new revenue streams and developing coverages and programs, such as employment practice liability, cyber liability, hotels and restaurants.

Kristina Donaldson, commercial insurance account manager with Messer-Bowers Co. in Enid, Okla., recently was named Risk Management Professional of the Year at the Region VI Conference of the International Association of Insurance Professionals (IAIP).

Among the criteria considered in conferring the award are: the candidate’s participation in association activities; involvement in insurance industry continuing education programs; industry involvement; and activities undertaken in the community.

Donaldson will compete on the international level with the winners representing the other eight regions of IAIP.

The National Risk Management Professional of the Year will be awarded during the annual convention to be held June 7-9, 2012, in Dallas, Texas.

Donaldson is a member of IWOE-Insurance Professionals, a local association of the IAIP.

TGA Insurance Managers Inc., a subsidiary of Texas-based Hallmark Financial Services Inc., has hired Michael Gallien as product manager for its oil and gas program.

Prior to joining TGA, Gallien worked at Chartis as an energy underwriter in that firm’s global energy department.

TGA Insurance Managers is a specialty managing general underwriter serving the niche and underserved commercial insurance marketplace in 44 states.