Jim Daly | |
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Born |
Alhambra, California, United States |
22 July 1961
Occupation | President and CEO of Focus on the Family |
Spouse(s) | Jean Daly |
Children | 2 |
Jim Daly (born July 22, 1961) is the head of Focus on the Family, an international Christian communications ministry based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He succeeded founder James Dobson in 2005.
Daly is also the main host of the Focus on the Family radio program.
Daly grew up in Southern California. He was abandoned by his alcoholic father at age 5, and orphaned by his mother’s death from cancer when he was 9. He was then placed in a foster home until he moved in with his older brothers and then with his father, who eventually turned back to alcohol and died. By the time that Daly was a senior in high school, he was living on his own.
Daly experienced a Christian conversion at 15 while attending a camp run by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He went on to study at California State University, San Bernardino, and eventually earned his Master of Business Administration from Regis University.
Daly worked in the paper industry until he was recruited to join Focus on the Family, at one-third of his six-figure private sector pay.
He has served at Focus for 16 years in a variety of positions including as assistant to the president for Public Affairs, Vice President of the International Division, and a Group Vice President under former U.S. Secretary of Energy and Secretary of the Interior, Donald P. Hodel (then Focus President), before ascending to the presidency.
Daly shares Dobson’s views in the public policy arena, but has taken a different approach than his predecessor. Daly refers to himself more of an evangelist than a prophet. He believes that the Christian community should demonstrate the values it wishes to promote and maintain civil discourse.