W. Ford Graham

W. Ford Graham, IMBA, Esq. is a senior vice president on McGuireWoods Consulting’s national infrastructure & economic development team and a partner with McGuireWoods LLP. Ford has a depth of experience working in the economic development sector where he has been one of the leading recruiters of international companies to the Southeastern United States. He has facilitated new industry and industrial expansion in over 132 projects, which have resulted in commitments of more than 13,000 new jobs and $38.9 billion in new investment. Ford’s practice focuses on companies opening or expanding operations in the U.S. In addition to economic incentives, Ford assists companies with the full spectrum of legal needs that arise when companies enter new markets.

Most recently, Ford was a partner at an international AmLaw 100 law firm, and he previously served as director of international strategy and trade for the South Carolina Department of Commerce. In that role, he directed all aspects of the agency’s international efforts, including South Carolina's four international offices in Delhi, Munich, Shanghai, and Tokyo, uncovering foreign direct investment opportunities, and assisting South Carolina companies with exporting their products to the rest of the world. Before that, he worked as general counsel for a real estate development/investment firm and served as a judicial clerk in the 5th and 14th Judicial Circuits of South Carolina. Ford served as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala. 

Ford is an avid runner and has completed over 30 marathons/ultramarathons including multiple 50-mile races and a 100-mile race in Georgia.

Assisted an American data center company in establishing multiple operations in the Southeastern U.S, resulting in the second largest investment announcement in US history.

Assisted a Canadian clothing manufacturer with the expansion of their existing HQ and distribution facility and expansion of production facility in the Southeastern U.S.

Assisted a multinational paper products conglomerate with the acquisition and large-scale expansion of production facilities in the home goods sector in the both the Southeastern and Midwestern U.S., and the expansion of production facilities in both the Southeastern and Northwestern U.S.

Assisted an Israel-based international defense electronics company with a greenfield production and HQ facility for advanced manufacturing in the defense sector in the Southeastern U.S.

Assisted an India and U.S.-based advanced manufacturing company with a greenfield production facility for advanced manufacturing in the aerospace sector in the Southeastern and Northeastern U.S.

Assisted a U.S.-based solar developer with 136 greenfield industrial solar arrays (2-150MW) in the Southeastern U.S.

Assisted a large, German vehicle manufacturer with multiple large-scale expansions of their existing production facility in the Southeastern U.S.

Assisted a Canadian manufacturer of multilayered laminated products with a greenfield production facility in the Southeastern U.S.

Assisted a U.S.-based, prepared meal delivery company with greenfield production and distribution facilities for the food service sector in both the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic U.S. and a greenfield distribution facility for the food service sector in the Southeastern U.S.

Assisted a Turkish supplier of premium bedding products with a greenfield production and distribution facility for the home furnishings sector in the Southeastern U.S.

Spearheaded the development of the legal structure behind a new incentive program for the economic development arm of a country in the Middle East.

Member, Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC)

Mentor, Teach for America

Past President, Council of American States in Europe (40-year old organization consisting of the 17 American states with representatives in Europe)

Past President, Vice President, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of South Carolina

South Carolina

Economic Incentives Negotiation

Local Government Relations

Opportunity Zones

Energy