NEW YORK -- The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America on July 17 announced that it has hired insurance industry veteran Deanna M. Mulligan to fill a key leadership position with the firm.

Mulligan has joined Guardian as Executive Vice President in charge of its Individual Life and Disability business. She will be responsible for developing and leading Guardian's product and business strategy to drive the company's continued growth in individual life and individual disability products and markets. Among Mulligan's broad set of responsibilities will be oversight of Guardian's Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America subsidiary, the leading disability provider in the U.S.

Mulligan will report to K. Rone Baldwin, Guardian's Chief Operating Officer, who said:
"Guardian is pleased to have in such a key leadership role an executive with the tremendous industry track record that Deanna has. Her experience over the past 20 years in product management and development, strategic planning and operations will be valuable as she crafts the vision and business mission for this important business."

Mulligan joins Guardian after having run her own consulting firm, advising insurance companies of strategic and operational issues. Before that she was Senior Vice President in charge of the Life and Annuity business for New York Life, a company at which she previously held professional roles earlier in her 23-year career. Mulligan also spent several years with AXA Financial, Inc., where she held a number of senior positions including Executive Vice president of the company's Market and Product Development group. Additionally, she was Principal and Co-Head of McKinsey & Company's North American Life Insurance practice.

Mulligan has an MBA from Stanford University and a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska.

Founded in 1860, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, is one of the largest mutual life insurance companies in the United States. Specializing in the small to mid-size business market, Guardian and its subsidiaries provide individuals, small business owners, and their employees with life, disability, health, long-term care, and dental insurance products, and offer 401(k), annuities, and other financial products and trust services.

Source: The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America