About

James Smith has over 25 years of municipal government experience, primarily in business/economic development. He is currently the Economic Development Director for the City of Goodyear. He previously served as the Economic and Workforce Development Director for Pinal County and the Economic Development Director for the Town of Fountain Hills. Previous experience also included over 12 years with the City of Chandler, where he assisted in the location or expansion of a number of major corporations, including several Fortune 500 companies.

He holds Bachelor’s (Economics) and Master’s (Public Administration) degrees – both from San Jose State University. A graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute (OUEDI), he is recognized as a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD). In addition, he has achieved the Certified Public Manager (CPM) designation through Arizona State University.