Freestone DN Info
Please find information below regarding the liquidation of Freestone Insurance Company (Formerly, Dallas National Insurance Company).
Freestone Documents
Please contact your Underwriter with any questions you may have:
Department Staff

Michelle Vajello
Commercial Lines Underwriter
Phone: 888-565-2984 x 221
Michelle came to TAGA in 2008 as an Underwriter with 22 years experience in the insurance industry. She feels that a key component of excellent customer is to always work to strengthen relationships.
She graduated from Bastrop High School and she spends her spare time with her family and children, a 17 year old daughter and 12 year old son. They also have a dog, a Great Pyrenees, in their family

Phyllis Mitchell
Commercial Lines Underwriter
Phone: 888-565-2987 x 219
Phylllis came to TAGA in 2008 as a Commercial Lines Underwriter. Prior to that, she has spent several years in the insurance industry. She works hard to respond to her customers’ inquiries quickly.
She attended W. T. White High School and Richland Junior College. She enjoys being outdoors and spending time with friends and family.

Janet Kantor / CISR
Commercial Lines Underwriter Assistant
Home Phone: 512-531-1718 x 213

Linda Villegas
Commercial Lines Underwriting Assistant
Phone: 512-531-1732 x 242
Linda came to TAGA in 2008 with over 30 years experience in the insurance industry. As a Property and Causalty Underwriter Assistant, she strives to service our agents’ requests in a timely manner and to always maintain a positive attitude.
Linda attended school at Travis High School and Austin Community College, in Austin, TX. Her hobbies include: reading, walking, working on projects around the house and going to see her son play baseball at Mary Hardin Baylor University. She has three sons, ages 28, 25, and 22. She also has two dogs, both schnauzers.

Susie Mireles
Commercial Lines Underwriter Assistant
Phone: 512-531-1745 x 238
Susie started with TAGA in 2009 with over eight years experience in commercial insurance. As an Underwriter Assistant, she does her best to meet her internal and external customers’ needs. She is a member of the Austin Association of Insurance Professionals.
Susie holds an Associates Degree from Austin Community College in General Studies with a focus in Quality. In her spare time she enjoys travelingwith her husband, photography, making cards and volunteer work with Austin Care Van, a mobile immunization clinic. Susie and her husband have been married 17 years. They have a rescued dog “Belle” who is 12 years old. Susie says, “I’m not sure if we rescued her or if she rescued us!”

Theresa Choat
Commercial Lines Underwriter Assistant
Phone: 512-531-1738 x 244
An Underwriting Assistant for the Commercial Lines department, Theresa started with TAGA in 2010. Having over 20 years of experience, Theresa has been in the E&S Insurance Industry since 1981. She constantly works to ensure that our producers and their staff get taken care of promptly and with the utmost care.
Theresa has been married for 28 years with two sons, ages 25 and 20. Her family enjoys traveling and attending music festivals, specifically Jazz music festivals.

Donayne Sallee
Cancellations/Reinstatements/Premium
Phone: 888-999-8242 x 231
Donayne started with TAGA in January 2013 as a Policy Technician. She believes the best reward possible is to make others happy by helping them achieve their goals. A native Texan, Donayne is married with three grown children who have proudly given her their left-behind cats and a couple of “grand-dogs.”

Richard Salley
Premium Finance / Claims / Commercial Lines
Phone: 512-531-1722 x 211
Richard combined his experience with four insurance associates to form Tejas American. Until recently he was a Commercial Lines Underwriter. Now Richard is currently managing the TAGA Premium Finance Company. He is also responsible for handling claims at TAGA.
Richard worked with a managing general agency starting in 1992 as Personal Lines Manager. During his two-year venture, he set the stage and put the agency on the map as one of the premier farm and ranch insurance writers in the state of Texas.
In March 1994, Richard was promoted to Underwriting Manager for all lines. Under his leadership, Austin Surplus Lines continued to grow and experience its greatest year ever in 1996. Richard held this position until March of 1997.
Richard’s responsibilities included underwriting results and production commitments for all lines. He worked closely with the Administrative Manager and individual department managers under his direction to provide extraordinary service for customers while producing a profit for his companies and the agency.
Prior to the agency field, Richard spent seven years in the oil and gas industry in the position of Insurance and Contracts Manager. He held this position for five years at Bearden Drilling Company and for two years at Burns Drilling Company. Preceding his work in the oil industry, Richard spent six years with Crum and Forster Insurance Company. While at C & F, he held positions that included marketing responsibilities and supervision of one of the largest farm and ranch insurance departments in the state of Texas.
Richard received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Texas Tech University. Since college, he has completed course work in Insurance Principles, CPCU and holds his CIC designation.
Richard is married to Julie and has 2 daughters, Casey and Randi.