Deanna Mulligan

In 2017, Mulligan led Guardian Life, known for its dental and whole life insurance businesses, to record earnings and handed out $913 million in dividends to policyholders—another annual record. While much of Guardian’s growth can be attributed to the small-business market, where it’s the third-largest insurer, Mulligan is pushing the company into new markets. Earlier this year, Guardian targeted workers in the growing gig economy with the launch of an online insurance marketplace geared toward individuals.