James Nicholas Kinney is the visionary President of SMART Texas, an action community dedicated to shaping a prosperous and innovative future for the state. With a remarkable track record of running two $1 billion + publicly traded organizations and leading over 30,000 employees, James is a proven leader in both the corporate and civic arenas. His insights and leadership have been featured in prestigious publications such as Harvard Business Review, AdAge, AdWeek, and Forbes. His work in mental health has been celebrated widely. 

SMART Texas stands for Semi-conductors and chip manufacturing, Mobility, and transportation infrastructure, Agriculture, Ranching, and low Taxes. With additional focus on the state’s strengths in Technolgy, Energy, and/X Arts & Sciences. Through this initiative, James aims to build a robust and engaged community for everyone in Texas, fostering shared prosperity, justice, and respect for every individual. By leveraging entrepreneurial ingenuity and community strength, SMART Texas seeks to create a vibrant ecosystem where creativity and industry flourish together.

SMART TEXAS is committed to building connections across every county, enabling widespread community involvement and support for its forward-thinking agenda. James’s leadership is about envisioning and actualizing a brighter future for Texas, leveraging his extensive experience and dedication to transformative change. James is a landowner and a homeowner residing in Austin and was born in Denison, Texas. He has worked globally and brings his experience of Main Street, Wall Street, and the Farm/Ranch back home to set up Texas to be the world leader in many civic and economic paths.