Founder

Dr. Geoff Pawson is the founder of the Ranch Ehrlo Society and Ehrlo Community Services and continues to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of both agencies.

Geoff founded the Ranch Ehrlo Society 40 years ago taking it from a single residential unit for six troubled boys, to a multi-service agency providing highly specialized programs for both males and females. Ranch Ehrlo today has over 465 employees and provides services to over 200 youth across the province.

Geoff is one of the founding members of the Child Welfare League of Canada, Past President of the Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers and has served on numerous committees at the local, provincial, national and international levels. He co-wrote and edited the book Go Forward with Pride: A Historical Review of the Ranch Ehrlo Society.

In 2000, Geoff was named to the Order of Canada, in 2001 he received the Saskatchewan Order of Merit, in 2003 he was awarded the Family Service Canada Award and in 2005 he received an Honourary Doctorate of Law from the University of Regina—all these awards were in recognition of Geoff’s many years of commitment to helping youth and their families become healthier and contributing members of society.