Don Hodel Joins Focus on the Family

Focus on the Family
Friday, 11 April 2003

Dr. James Dobson announced his decision today, made with the concurrence of the Focus on the Family Board of Directors, to expand and extend his role as Chairman of the Board. This redefined responsibility will assure Dr. Dobson's continued leadership of the organization but without the burden of day-to-day management. It will allow him to spend more time on ministry objectives that only he can accomplish. They will include serving as spokesman and international leader on a wide range of cultural, family and spiritual issues. He will also continue to serve as the principal voice of the radio program, which currently reaches 220 million people in 120 countries each day. He will devote more of his energies to writing, speaking and creative work. The location of Dr. Dobson's office will not change.

Joining Focus on the Family as the new president and CEO of the ministry, effective May 15, 2003, will be Dobson's long-time friend and associate, Don Hodel. Mr. Hodel has served on the Board of Directors since 1995, with short absences while attending to other responsibilities. He was an interim executive vice-president of Focus on the Family in 1996 during a time of management restructuring. Hodel served President Reagan during the 1980s as U.S. Under Secretary of the Interior, as U.S. Secretary of Energy, and, during the second Reagan Administration, as U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Prior to that he had been head of the Bonneville Power administration and an energy consultant. He also served as president of Christian Coalition in Chesapeake, Virginia, from 1997 to 1999. Mr. Hodel received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College, and his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Oregon, School of Law, in Eugene, Oregon.

Dr. Dobson said during a staff announcement today, "I am grateful for Don Hodel's acceptance of this new administrative assignment for Focus on the Family. There is no one whom I admire and respect more, and I look forward to working closely with him in the days ahead."

For more information, or to contact Focus on the Family, see their website at: www.family.org