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The new director of the Shepherd’s Fold Ranch in Avant brings diverse experience to the job.

By BILL SHERMAN World Religion Writer
Published: 5/21/2011  2:00 AM
Last Modified: 5/21/2011  6:14 AM

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Ron Griffin, 36, served in the Army Special Forces in Africa for nine years, worked as a security contractor for the military in Iraq and Afghanistan and then co-founded Indigen Armor, a company that for the past seven years has been making armored vehicles for the government.

But he’s happy to be back in the Tulsa area, where he spent summers as a boy at Shepherd’s Fold and graduated in 1992 from Victory Christian School.

“I was a camper here and on the staff,” he said. “I know what a powerful experience it can be for kids.”

Shepherd’s Fold is an independent Christian camp on 88 acres, with two ponds, a ropes course, horseback riding, swimming, canoeing, cabins, a lodge and open-air meeting areas.

It offers a variety of camp experiences in the summer and retreats in the winter to churches and other organizations.

Griffin said he stayed in touch with camp leaders over the years and that after he sold Indigen Armor in 2009, they asked him to consider taking over the camp, which was founded in 1972 by Don and Shirley Staires.

“To me, it feels like I’m back, getting ready to jump into the next 40 years here. It’s very exciting,” he said.

“My heart’s always been here.”

Griffin said he is making plans to develop and expand the camp.

He and his wife, Lucia Griffin, and their three children – ages 1, 3 and 5 – will move from South Carolina to the camp.