Exhibit 32(a)

                  CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. S 1350

        I,  Mark E. Schwarz,  Chief Executive Officer  of Hallmark  Financial
 Services, Inc. (the "Company"), hereby certify that the accompanying  report
 on  Form 10-Q  for  the  quarter ended  March 31, 2006, and  filed with  the
 Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the "Report"),  fully
 complies with the requirements of Section 13(a)  of the Securities  Exchange
 Act of 1934, as amended.  I further certify that  the information  contained
 in the Report fairly  presents,  in  all  material  respects,  the financial
 condition and results of operations of the Company.


 Date:     May 15, 2006

                                  /s/ Mark E. Schwarz
                                  ----------------------------------------
                                  Mark E. Schwarz,
                                  Chief Executive Officer