MONTGOMERY – Recognized as helping push the Tennessee Valley and the state onto the international business stage, Greg Canfield is stepping down as secretary of the Department of Commerce. He served 12 years in the position and will leave at the end of the year.
In making the announcement today, Gov. Kay Ivey tapped Ellen McNair, an economic development veteran, to serve as the next secretary of Commerce effective Jan. 1.
“Throughout my time as governor, we have proudly solidified Alabama as a top state for doing business, and no doubt, Greg has been a key part of that success. Together, we have secured more than $42 billion in new investments in our state, which has created 78,000 good-paying jobs,” said Ivey. “Greg will go down as one of Alabama’s best economic development heads, and he will be noted for projects like Mazda Toyota and credited for branding the Made in Alabama name worldwide.
“I will forever be grateful for all that Greg has accomplished for our state, and I know he will continue having great success in his career.”
Chip Cherry, president & CEO of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber, cited Canfield for his help in the growth and development of business and industry in this area.
“Secretary Canfield has been an incredible supporter of the north Alabama region, and we truly appreciate his engagement over the years,” Cherry said. “We’re fortunate that Greg has served in this role, and he’s run an incredible team that has been with us every step of the way on numerous projects that have resulted in major growth for north Alabama. Greg’s experience in business, local, and state government gave him a unique perspective of what it takes to be competitive in retaining industry and recruiting new investments and jobs to Alabama.
“The work he has done to strategically position the state for success will benefit Alabama for decades to come. We greatly appreciate our relationship with the state and the Alabama Department of Commerce. Economic development is a team sport and Greg is one of the best I have worked with!”
Canfield, in both his role at Commerce and in the Legislature, has been a champion for pro-business legislation. Most recently, The Game Plan, Alabama’s economic incentive package, passed in 2023 and will help the state continue attracting businesses and industry, as well as support existing companies for years to come.
After a long career in the private sector, Canfield took the helm of the Alabama Development Office in 2011 and reorganized it as the Department of Commerce.
During his tenure, Alabama launched its first-ever strategic economic development plan, Accelerate Alabama, established new records in international exports, capital investment and job creation. Canfield represented Alabama on business and trade missions to 30 countries and is credited for launching the department’s successful rural development strategy.
“I am proud to have been a part of Governor Ivey’s cabinet, and I am proud of the team of professionals we have assembled at Commerce. I am more confident than ever that Alabama is poised for a robust era of economic expansion that will transform the trajectories of communities and families across the state,” said Canfield. “I am honored to have made a contribution to the effort to improve Alabama’s future, and I know that the momentum we’ve built will continue to grow in the capable hands of Ellen McNair.”
McNair, who will take the helm in the new year, is chief economic development officer with the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. Throughout McNair’s tenure at the chamber, she has worked on almost 600 national and international projects with a capital investment of more than $8 billion, resulting in almost 30,000 jobs for the Montgomery area.
“I have known Ellen since my days at the Alabama Development Office, and I know she will be of tremendous value to the state of Alabama. She sees past just the investment and jobs numbers and knows that these results are changing the lives of Alabama families,” said Ivey. “Ellen has partnered with Greg and I to bring growth to the Montgomery area, and I am confident we will see success like that all over the state.”
McNair was the senior project manager and a member of the negotiating team that brought Hyundai to Montgomery.
“I am extremely honored to have been selected by Governor Kay Ivey for this very important role,” she said. “Economic development has been a passion and focus for the governor her entire career. The success of the state under Governor Ivey’s and Secretary Canfield’s leadership is unprecedented. These will certainly be big shoes to fill.
“I have great respect for Secretary Canfield and the Commerce team, and we will work together for a smooth transition. The state of Alabama is blessed with many strong local and regional economic development professionals, and I look forward to working closely with them and the entire state team to continue Alabama’s smart and strategic economic development.”
Prior to working with the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, McNair worked for the Alabama Department of Commerce. In fact, when McNair first entered the economic development sector after attending graduate school in the Department of Economics at Auburn University, Ivey, at the time, served as assistant director of the Alabama Development Office, now known as the Department of Commerce.
McNair comes to lead the Department of Commerce with 40 years of economic development experience and a handful of firsts.
On top of being the first female project manager at the Alabama Department of Commerce, she was the first woman Certified Economic Developer in Alabama and one of a handful of economic development professionals in Alabama with this designation.
She was also the first woman president of the Economic Development Association of Alabama, the first woman to lead a major metro area’s economic development effort in the state, and in January, she will be the first woman to serve as secretary at the Alabama Department of Commerce.
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