Prior to becoming Commissioner of Insurance, Jim Donelon served the Louisiana Department of Insurance in leadership positions as Chief Deputy Commissioner and Executive Counsel.

Jim was born in New Orleans. He is a graduate of Jesuit High School, the University of New Orleans and Loyola School of Law. In 1986 Jim received the Homer L. Hitt Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award for the University of New Orleans.

Commissioner Donelon retired as the State Judge Advocate for the Louisiana Army National Guard where he held the rank of Colonel and received the prestigious Legion of Merit medal, among many other citations, for his contributions during his 33 years of military service.

In 1975 Jim was elected Jefferson Parish Council chairman and from 1981 to 2001 Jim represented Jefferson Parish in the Louisiana House of Representatives where he rose to the leadership positions of chairman of the Committee on Insurance and co-chairman of the Republican Legislative Delegation. In 2001 Jim joined the staff of the Department of Insurance and was appointed Commissioner of Insurance in February 2006, and was elected to fill the unexpired term later that year and re-elected in 2007.

Jim presently serves as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' (NAIC) President. He serves on the Executive Committee of the NAIC and as Chairman of the Surplus Lines Task Force. He is also on the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Alliance for the Mentally Ill and the Blood Center for Southeast Louisiana.

Jim is married to the former Merilynn Boudreaux. They reside in Jefferson Parish. Jim and Merilynn are the parents of four daughters and the grandparents of six granddaughters and two grandsons.