jamesdobsonpq2Focus on the Family announced on Friday that James Dobson will step down from his role as chairman of the Colorado Springs-based evangelical organization he founded three decades ago. The 72-year-old Dobson, however, will remain in the public eye. The Denver Post quotes him in a statement as saying that he is moving aside to make way for the next generation but will continue to write a newsletter, speak out on moral issues, and host Focus’ radio program, which reaches 1.5 million listeners. Dobson will be replaced by retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Patrick P. Caruana, a member of Focus’ board since 1996 and former vice president of Northrop Grumman space technology, according to Focus. Neil Giuliano, the president of GLAAD, a gay-rights organization, is quoted by Towleroad as saying Dobson used his “expansive, well-funded media platform to promote defamatory and false information about the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.” Read more about Dobson’s empire in a feature from the July 2006 edition of 5280.