NU Online News Service, Jan. 2, 2:28 p.m.EST

After less than a year in office, South Carolina's Director ofInsurance, R. David Black, abruptly resigned.

Black, the former president and chief executive officer ofLiberty Life Insurance Co. inGreenville,S.C., left the departmenton Dec. 28.

In a statement from Gov. Nikki Haley's office, Black was praisedfor his efforts to make the South Carolina Department of Insurance"more effective and efficient," but gave no reason for hisdeparture.

Gwendolyn Fuller McGriff, acting deputy director of financialservices and general counsel for the department, was named interimdirector. The 16-year veteran of the department also served asacting director in 2004.

Black, 54, replaced Scott Richardson, who served asdirector under former Gov. Mark Sanford.

While no explanation for Black's resignation was given, severalpress reports suggest that the director was unhappy with thedirection the state was taking in setting up health-insuranceexchanges.

One report says insurance insiders in the state were baffled by the news, with one individual sayingthere was nothing to indicate Black was unhappy in his post.

Another report from "The Post and Courier," suggests that heresigned to avoid being caught up in aninvestigation about how the state spent federal funds from thehealth care reform act.