Two months after his nomination to head New Jersey’s Department of Banking and Insurance, the state Senate’s judiciary panel will interview Thomas Considine for the post.

Tom Considine

Considine was nominated Jan. 15 by Gov. Chris Christie to head the government agency, succeeding Neil Jasey. Considine serves as vice president and government relations counsel for MetLife, overseeing public policy and government issues for the insurer’s financial services and auto and home companies nationwide.

At the time of his nomination, Christie praised Considine’s “extensive professional” experience in the public sector and with “the quasi-governmental organizations that comprise the insurance guaranty association.”

Considine has served on various committees with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, on the board of directors for the National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations and on the Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association board of directors in New Jersey as its treasurer.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will also consider the nomination of Poonam Alaigh, an executive with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, to lead the state’s department of health. Alaigh has also served as national medical director for GlaxoSmithKline and advised former Gov. Jon S. Corzine on health care issues.

If the 13-member judiciary committee approves both nominations, they advance to the full New Jersey Senate for a vote.