Kenneth Merin
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Kenneth Merin
| image =
| office = Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Insurance
| governor = Thomas Kean
| term_start = May 10, 1986
| term_end = January 16, 1990
| predecessor = Hazel Frank Gluck
| successor = Jasper J. Jackson
| governor1 = Thomas Kean
| term_start1 = October 9, 1984
| term_end1 = January 10, 1985
Acting: April 16, 1984 – October 9, 1984
| predecessor1 = Joseph F. Murphy
| successor1 = Jasper J. Jackson
| birth_date = 1947
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Republican
| alma_mater = George Washington University (BA, LLM)
Seton Hall University (JD)
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = {{flag|United States Army}}
| serviceyears = 1969–1972
| battles = Vietnam War
}}
Kenneth D. Merin (born 1947) is an American Republican Party politician and lawyer who served two stints as the New Jersey Commissioner of Insurance.
Early life
He is a 1969 graduate of George Washington University.{{cite web| url = https://www.martindale.com/attorney/kenneth-d-merin-1078917/| title = Kenneth D Merin Profile {{!}} Bedminster, NJ Lawyer {{!}} Martindale.com}} From 1969 to 1972, Merin served in the U.S. Army, where he was a decorated infantry officer during the Vietnam War. He received his J.D. degree from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1975. In 1980, he received a LL.M. from the George Washington University Law School. From 1975 to 1980, Merin was a legislative attorney for the Congressional Research Service, the public policy research arm of the United States Congress.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}
Kean Administration
In 1981, Merin joined the campaign of Thomas Kean for Governor of New Jersey as the Director of Research. After Kean was elected Governor, Merin joined his administration as the Deputy Chief Counsel to the Governor.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}} He also served on the Board of Directors of New Jersey Transit.{{cite news|last1=NARVAEZ|first1=ALFONSO A.|title=PANEL IN JERSEY VOTES TO CANCEL 20% FARE RISE|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/15/nyregion/panel-in-jersey-votes-to-cancel-20-fare-rise.html|accessdate=22 March 2016|work=New York Times|date=15 December 1982}}
Following the resignation of Joseph F. Murphy as state Insurance Commissioner in March 1984, Kean appointed Merin to serve as Acting Commissioner.{{cite news|last1=Sullivan|first1=Joseph F.|title=AN INSURANCE COMMISSIONER'S LIABLILITIES|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/03/18/weekinreview/an-insurance-commissioner-s-liablilities.html|accessdate=22 March 2016|work=New York Times|date=18 March 1984}} He was later nominated to serve as Commissioner and won confirmation by the New Jersey State Senate.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}
A resident of Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, Merin was appointed by Kean on January 12, 1985, to serve as Director of Policy and Planning in the Governor's office. He replaced Gary Stein, who had been appointed by Kean to the New Jersey Supreme Court.{{cite news|title=Shift in Top Personnel Is Announced by Kean|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/01/13/nyregion/shift-in-top-personnel-is-announced-by-kean.html|accessdate=22 March 2016|work=New York Times|date=13 January 1985}}
On February 9, 1986, Kean announced that Merin would return to the cabinet as Insurance Commissioner.{{cite news|last1=Sullivan|first1=Joseph|title=POLITICS; KEAN SHIFTS AIDES; MORE MOVES AHEAD|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/02/09/nyregion/politics-kean-shifts-aides-more-moves-ahead.html|accessdate=22 March 2016|work=New York Times|date=9 February 1986}} He held that post until the end of the Kean administration in 1990.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}
Private Sector
After leaving state government, Merin headed the Insurance Coverage practice at Purcell Ries Shannon Mulcahy & O'Neill, a New Jersey law firm.{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}} He served as a Director of DSL.net, a nationwide provider of broadband communications services.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}} He also served as president and CEO of the Charles Hayden Foundation.{{cite web|title=The Charles Hayden Foundation|url=http://www.charleshaydenfoundation.org/about.php?view=trustees|website=www.charleshaydenfoundation.org/|accessdate=22 March 2016}}{{Dead link|date=May 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}