Adam Shaw | Dunlap, Illinois
Director of Finance, The Greater Peoria Sanitary District
Adam Shaw was shaped by strong role models and organizations. As a boy, he was heavily involved in the Boy Scouts of America and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. After graduating from Notre Dame High School, Shaw served two years of honorable service in the Marine Corps before attending Illinois Central College and the University of Illinois at Springfield and graduating with degrees in Accountancy and Business Administration with minors in Finance and Computer Science.
Shaw is now the Director of Finance at the Greater Peoria Sanitary District. His job is to ensure financial stability and stewardship of public assets for the community's environmental and economic prosperity.
Leadership Insights:
“...A great leader puts their team first, leads by example, empowers others, lives with integrity, shows empathy and extends grace. They are humble. They take responsibility when things go wrong and give credit when things go right. They persevere through difficult times [and] approach life with grit and determination…”
Having served as a Marine and ending up in finance, Shaw’s career aspirations came from father figures in his life—his grandfather, who was a marine, and his uncle, who was a banker. That same grandfather was also an immigrant to the United States from Aytou, Lebanon, helped by the Itoo Society in Peoria. Now, Shaw serves in several positions with the Itoo Society and recognizes that he literally wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for their efforts to help Lebanese immigrants. Shaw also credits his time in the scouts with who he has become today. Participating since he was seven, the Scouts, “instilled a focus on service, character, and honor. It taught me many life skills which I still use today.” Since earning the rank of Eagle Scout, Shaw has continued to serve his Troop 225, teaching the young men the same values he had learned.
Facing Down Challenges:
“…Joining the Marine Corps straight out of high school, I was challenged to overcome physical and mental challenges like I had never experienced before. It provided me an opportunity to see and cultivate leadership firsthand and to learn what it really meant to trust and rely on a brother…”
Shaw and his wife Madalynne welcomed their first child in February. Together, they attend Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria where Shaw is involved in several small groups. He and Madalynne enjoy dancing, hiking, playing board games, being outdoors, and reading.
Born and raised in Peoria, Shaw lists the public parks, the Peoria Riverfront Museum, Dozer Park, the Riverplex, and the Civic Center as a few things he loves about Peoria. He also loves the people. “Peoria has some of the kindest, most philanthropic people you could ever meet…I’m amazed by the level of innovation and determination from the people who live here.”