Sandra Tidwell Shaw

Sandra Tidwell Shaw
Sandra Tidwell Shaw, a 1964 Brazosport High School graduate, has dedicated her life to making the Brazosport Area a better place for those that live and work in our area. As the President/C.E.O. of the Brazosport Area Chamber of Commerce, she has played a major role in the economic development that our area has experienced over the past forty years. She not only works with several different Brazosport Chamber committees that achieve goals to help children, businesses, residents and investors, but she also dedicates her time off from the Chamber to help other organizations meet their goals.

Employed by the Brazosport Area Chamber of Commerce for 45 years, Sandra began her career in 1977 as the bookkeeper, was promoted to its Membership Director, and then advanced to the position of Membership & Finance Director. She also served as the Chamber’s Executive Director before becoming the President & CEO in 1991.

Sandra has been acknowledged frequently by her professional peers. She is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management and was designated a Chartered Economic and Community Developer by the American Society of Economic and Community Developers. Mrs. Shaw is past president of the Gulf Coast Chamber Executives and has served two terms on the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives Board of Directors. She also served one term as a Board Member of the Texas Association of Business. Under her management, the Brazosport Chamber has been awarded forty-seven State Awards of Excellence over the past twenty-five years in such categories as Brochure, Directory, Map, Newsletter, Website and Facebook.

One of Sandra’s proudest accomplishments is the Chamber building located on Abner Jackson Parkway in Lake Jackson. She was instrumental in obtaining the land and overseeing the construction of the new building in 2006. Sandra was also very instrumental in the formation of what is now known as the Economic Development Alliance for Brazoria County.

Sandra was honored as recipient of the Jane Long Pioneer Spirit Award in 2008 by the Brazoria County Historical Museum for possessing a pioneering vision and the tenacity, courage and conviction to pursue it, as epitomized by Jane Wilkinson Long, an early Texas settler.

Sandra was recognized by the Texas Senate for her 20 years of tenure and again by the Texas House by Representative Dennis Bonnen, for her 40 years of tenure. In addition, she was named the “Yellow Rose of Texas” in 1989 by Senator Buster Brown, who served as Governor of Texas for the day. She was also named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Brazosport Rotary Club.Besides her involvement on every Chamber committee, Sandra has also served as a Board Member for the Memorial Child Care Center, Freeport Main Street Advisory Board, The Facts Unsung Heroes Selection Committee, Dow Grant Selection Committee, Brazosport College’s Small Business Development Center’s Advisory Board, and the Freeport 100 Celebration Committee.

She is currently serving as a member of the Brazoria Council of Chambers, Brazoria County Day Steering Committee, Shoreline Erosion Task Force, Economic Development Alliance for Brazoria County, Lake Jackson Business Association, Brazosport CHI St. Luke’s Health Brazosport’s Strategic Planning Task Force, Women’s Health Care Conference Advisory Committee, Community Health Needs Assessment Forum participant and the Brazosport Business Roundtable.

As an avid lover of animals, Sandra is heavily involved in the Houston Sheltie Sanctuary Rescue program. Sandra was married to Wayne Shaw for thirty-seven years until his passing in 2020. They have four sons and eight grandchildren. Sandra lives in Lake Jackson with her beloved Sheltie, Cody.