New Jersey State Investment Council, Trenton, which oversees the...

New Jersey State Investment Council, Trenton, which oversees the state's $67.1 billion pension assets, hired Strategic Investment Solutions as its private equity consultant, said Kathy Hennessy, spokeswoman. The council on Jan. 20 decided to establish an alternative investment program, allocating 13% of fund assets over five to seven years to private equity, real assets and absolute-return strategies. Townsend was hired earlier this year as the fund's new real estate consultant. Fund officials are choosing finalists in their search for a hedge fund consultant, which closed Feb. 28; a selection is expected in May.