On Feb. 4, the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce will be honoring resident Gary Shaw as the 2010 Citizen of the Years. 

Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Scott Tate says the award “recognizes the lifetime achievements of a citizen for actions, generosity and service, broad-based community involvement in a non-paid position, and leadership in organizations above and beyond the call of duty on behalf of the community.”

To someone outside the St. Charles community, it would seem that the man behind this great honor is an odd choice, as his 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job is the managing director of investments for Wells Fargo Advisors in St. Charles.

Shaw is not your normal investment banker. In fact, it’s hard to believe he even has such a prestigious day job with the ridiculous amount of positions he’s held in the community in the past three decades.

His first foray into volunteering and community activism came on the heels of a tragedy that befell his family in 1977. His then 17-year-old son, Scott, was injured in a diving accident, and became quadriplegic.

It was at this time that Shaw was introduced to Missouri K.I.D.S. (Missourians Who Kare for Injured and Disabled Students) a partnership that forever changed the trajectory of his life.

“The trauma of having my son endure such a tough incident was so difficult to handle at that time,” Shaw said. “The statistics for families who go through something like this is so bleak, with such high rates for divorce and depression. Missouri K.I.D.S not only made my son the second recipient of a grant for assistance, they also provided an overwhelming outpouring of support for Scott and my family.”

Since then, Shaw has defined the phrase, “pay it forward.”

For starters, he has been a champion for raising awareness and funds for Missouri K.I.D.S. Today, he is not only on the Board of Directors but is also the president of the entire organization. Board of Directors member Donna Brueggemann explained just how important Shaw has been for the charity.

“Gary has spent the last 33 years helping young student athletes who are involved in a life-changing accident and become permanently disabled,” she said. “He continues to pursue fundraising efforts so that we can reach as many kids as possible. He puts his heart and soul into everything he does. When a student athlete has just been injured, his compassion for these families is so real because he has been through it before.”

Rather than focusing all his energy on this one foundation, Gary has spread his efforts to a number of other noble causes.

He has volunteered his time for over thirty years for the United Services, helping the handicapped in St. Charles, and in 2004, he was selected to be the organization’s President of Endowment, United Services’ Manager of Development Jeanne Palombo said.

“Gary’s first involvement was as part of the Original Blue Ribbon Committee, which spearheaded the dinner and auction as a fundraising initiative when the agency was having some financial difficulties,” Palombo said. “Gary continues to be involved with the auction committee and has been the event's auctioneer since its inception. His efforts to lead the board, promote the Endowment, as well as make his own financial contributions have helped take the Endowment to an investment portfolio to nearly $1 million.”

His efforts aren’t relegated to the causes that are close to his heart due to his son’s injury, as he has also used his time and fundraising skills to benefit educational institutions and youth community centers.

“I really believe in the power of education and the arts,” Shaw said. “I was the first in my family to graduate from college, and I didn’t realize it until after how important that was for me. I really believe that if you’re going to have a solid community, you need the pursuit of education and the arts.”

A man who backs up his words, Shaw is currently on the Board of Directors at his alma mater Iowa Wesleyan and on the Board of Trustees at Lindenwood University.

Additionally, he has been an active volunteer and auctioneer since 1983 for the Boys and Girls Club of St. Charles County, said Boys and Girls Club Resource Development Director Jeanette Koechner.

“He has continued throughout this time to be involved in various fundraising projects and events for the Club,” Koechner said. “He actively promotes the Boys and Girls Club in the community and has the interest of the children we serve at heart. It goes without saying that Mr. Shaw's interest lay within this community as he reaches out to all those who seek help.”

More recently, he lent his talents to the St. Charles Foundry Arts Centre when he joined the Board of Directors in 2009.  He was elected President shortly thereafter. Executive Director Laura Helling’s endorsement is laden with superlatives, a common theme of the people who have worked with Shaw.

“His commitment to the community exceeds measurable achievements,” she said. “He listens to people, doesn’t shy away from something because it might be difficult, and never asks people to do anything he himself wouldn’t do. In short, he is simply amazing.”

It’s remarkable to think Shaw has had time for all of these selfless ventures, and more impressively, that's not the end of it. He has served in the past for Missouri Special Olympics, Academy of the Sacred Heart, and St. Joseph's Health Center. This year alone, he's expecting to be the auctioneer for 12-14 charity functions.

He’s even proud of his company Wells Fargo, a corporation that has set the standard for their employees' community involvement in the St. Louis area, with efforts for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, the St. Louis Botanical Gardens and the St. Louis Zoo to name a few.

With a laundry list of community accomplishments, there’s no doubt that Shaw is more than worthy of the Citizen of the Years award.

In a bittersweet and somewhat poetic twist, the Feb. 4 date for the gala is especially meaningful, as it was only a year ago to the very day that his son Scott died. Still, Shaw feels blessed to be recognized in this community.

“It will be an emotional night for me, obviously,” Shaw said. “Though St. Charles is one of the most giving communities I’ve ever seen. I wish I had more hours, days and years to give back.”

The event will be Feb. 4, 2011, at The Columns Banquet & Conference Center.  A cocktail reception will begin at 6:30pm with the event starting at 7:00pm.  The UltraViolets will be providing post-event entertainment. The black-tie optional event is open to the public.  Tickets can be purchased through the Chamber website at www.stcharleschamber.org.