James Smith

Associate Professor of Management Information Systems

Smith first arrived at Northwestern College in the fall of 1978 as the college’s accounting instructor. In 1981 he designed and taught the computer information systems major. He served as Business Department chair from 1981 through 1984. After resigning from Northwestern in 1986 he took a position with a Minneapolis firm developing training using a new technology, laser videodisc, the forerunner of today’s DVD.

Smith has operated his own computer consulting firm for the past 22 years. He has taught at a variety of technical colleges in the Twin Cities and was most recently associate professor and program director of information technology management at UW-Stout in Menomonie, Wisc. His research interests focus on rural municipalities that have adopted broadband Internet as a public utility. His dissertation research took him to Barnesville, Detroit Lakes and Windom, Minn. He is one of the authors of the recently released book Handbook of Research on Electronic Collaboration and Organizational Synergy.

He has four children and six grandchildren. He served for four years in the U.S. Navy in electronic intelligence during the Vietnam War. Professor Smith has served on the elder board in various churches in the Twin Cities area.

Teaching Responsibilities

Operating Systems, Data Communications, Programming, Computer Security, Database Management, Systems Analysis and Design, Project Management, and Application Development.

Academic Credentials

Ph.D., Capella University
M.A., University of Minnesota
B.S., St. Cloud State University