The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) has announced the appointment of Joe Connelly as chair of the Southeast Division board of directors. Connelly has been a board member of the IICF’s Southeast Division for two years. He serves as president of the South Central Zone, North America General Insurance, at AIG.

In his role as board chair, Connelly will lead the IICF Southeast Division’s philanthropic and diversity and inclusion initiatives.

“Joe has been a valued and respected member of both the insurance and Southeast communities throughout his career,” said Sarah Conway, executive director of the IICF Southeast Division. “Throughout his involvement with IICF, Joe has been an advocate for those in need and a champion of diversity and inclusion initiatives within the industry. I look forward to working together with Joe and our division and chapter boards in achieving greater success for the Southeast region as we give back and lend a hand up to our neighbors.”

At AIG, Connelly leads the strategy, execution and delivery of the company’s commercial insurance business and service capabilities in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi. Prior to joining AIG, he served as an executive vice president in Chubb’s North America major accounts division and as a regional executive officer at ACE USA.

Connelly succeeds Richard Gergasko of Texas Mutual Insurance Company and Mark Shults of The Hartford, who served as co-chairs of the Southeast Division board for two years.

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“In my years working within the insurance industry, I have seen firsthand just how wonderful IICF’s initiatives are and the greater impact we can make in our communities when working together,” Connelly said. “As board chair of the Southeast Division, I look forward to leading our division, along with Sarah and all board members, as we provide our region with the support they need in these challenging times.”

Since the founding of the IICF Southeast Division in 2012, more than $4.8 million has been distributed in grants to more than 140 nonprofits focused on education, at-risk children, military veterans and disaster preparedness and relief. The division is based in Dallas and serves 13 states.