James B. Smith (born 1952) is the former United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Prior to his appointment, Ambassador Smith had served in a variety of executive positions with Raytheon Company involving corporate strategic planning, aircraft manufacturing, and international business development.

Smith was a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy’s Class of 1974 and received the Richard I. Bong award as the Outstanding Cadet in Military History.

During his final assignment at U.S. Joint Forces Command, he led Millennium Challenge, the largest transformation experiment in history.

In April 2017, Smith was appointed to be the dean of the newly formed College of Engineering, Technology, and Aeronautics at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).