Greg Canfield

Greg Canfield serves as Managing Director of Economic Development at Burr & Forman. In this role, he works closely with the firm’s Economic Development Team, which includes lawyers across five states. The team handles economic development matters in support of the site selection process, and directly regarding incentive negotiation & implementation, choice of entity & tax structure, construction, real estate, environmental permitting, contraction negotiations, and government relations.

Prior to joining Burr, Greg served as Secretary of Commerce for the State of Alabama. Greg served in this Cabinet-level position for two Governors for just over 12 years. In this role, Greg is credited with securing a record of more than $76 billion in new investments, creating 188,000 jobs; launching Commerce’s successful Made in Alabama brand; initiating Alabama’s first-ever rural development strategy; and leading trade missions to 30 countries setting export records in 2017, 2022, and 2023. His efforts resulted in recognition in the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association Hall of Fame; the Southern Automotive Manufacturers Alliance Hall of Fame; was awarded the Alabama-Germany Partnership Rainer Bauer Award; and Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette.

Greg also served as a State Representative for the State of Alabama from 2006-2011. During his tenure, he served on the House Leadership Team and as Chairman of the House Committee on Commerce and Small Business. Greg’s legislative tenure is most noted for his 3-year effort to reform Alabama’s education budget process through his Rolling Reserve Budget Act, which since becoming law in 2010 has ended proration in education budgeting every year since its passage.

Greg attended the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he earned his B.S. in Finance. Greg has been married to his wife Denise since 1983, and they are the parents of Rachel Canfield Young and John Canfield.

• Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette (2024)
• Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association, Hall of Fame (2023)
• Manufacture Alabama, Friend of the Industry Award (2022)
• Alabama-Germany Partnership, Rainer Bauer Award (2021)
• Southern Automotive Manufacturers Alliance, Hall of Fame (2021)

• UAB Collat School of Business, Dean’s Advisory Council
• Japan-America Society of Alabama, Honorary Director
• Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association, Board Member