Gordon D. Giffin

Ambassador Giffin has been engaged in the practice of law or government service for over thirty years. His law practice involves substantial experience at the state and federal levels in regulatory and administrative litigation in the energy, technology and telecommunications fields; government procurement counseling and litigation; public policy strategic counseling and advocacy; corporate compliance counseling and internal audits; international transactions; trade matters, including trade disputes and policy counseling.

From August 1997 to April 2001, Ambassador Giffin served as the nineteenth U.S. Ambassador to Canada. As Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, he managed U.S. interests in the world's largest bi-lateral trading relationship in the context of the North American Free Trade Agreement, as well as U.S. collaboration with Canada on global issues in international fora. In addition to the Department of State complement in Canada, more than 900 personnel from 21 federal departments and agencies, along with six consulates, reported to the Ambassador. He received the Superior Honor Award from the Department of State for negotiating a pre-clearance agreement.

From 1975-1979, he was Legislative Director and Chief Counsel to U.S. Senator Sam Nunn in Washington, DC. JAMES Magazine named Gordon as one of Georgia's Most Influential People in its 2007 annual listing.

Mr. Giffin is a member of the boards of directors for Bowater Inc., the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Canadian National Railway Company, Canadian Natural Resources Limited and TransAlta Corporation. He is also on the board of advisors for Kissinger-McLarty.

Ambassador Giffin serves on the Council on Foreign Relations, the Board of Trustees for the Carter Center, the Board of Advisors of the Woodrow Wilson International Center, the Board of the Canadian- American Business Council, and he is chairman of the Board of the Friends of the National Arts Centre (Ottawa, Canada). He served on the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation from 1993-1997. He has served as an adjunct professor of law at Emory University School of Law.

Ambassadorial Post(s)

Canada, (1997 - 2001)

Areas of Expertise

  • Economic - Energy