Gov. Kay Ivey swore in Ellen McNair as the secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce on Thursday, making her the first woman to assume the role. 
“With Secretary McNair now at the helm of the Department of Commerce, we’re ushering in a new era of economic development that will continue to uplift and create ample opportunities for Alabama families," Ivey said. "Her expertise and innovative approach will be key to driving our state forward, ensuring prosperity reaches every corner of Alabama.”
McNair was formerly the chief economic development officer with the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. In that position, she has worked on almost 600 national and international projects with a capital investment of more than $8 billion, resulting in almost 30,000 new jobs for the Montgomery community.
A former Montgomery Advertiser Community Hero, McNair has 40 years of economic development experience and a was the first female project manager at the Alabama Department of Commerce and the first woman Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) in Alabama.
She succeeds Greg Canfield, who was the state's top commerce official for the past 12 years.
