Laura Shaw
Senior Vice President
Sun Corridor Inc.
By Tara Kirkpatrick
A former CEO once told BizTucson, “If you want something done in Tucson, you go to Laura.”
It’s a reputation that has definitely stuck for Laura Shaw, senior VP of Sun Corridor, Inc., both as a driver of developing this region and one working tirelessly behind the scenes to better it.
“I am proud of that reputation – I think it’s important to be a trusted source,” said the Vanderbilt University graduate and Tucson transplant. “Early mentors taught me to always look at the bigger picture – why are we doing this and what value does it bring? Once you establish that, you can bring together the right team and resources to make it happen.”
She easily did both during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chairing the Pima County Back to Business Communications subcommittee, Shaw helped devise strategies to reopen regional businesses after last year’s lockdowns. That was in addition to her day job at the region’s economic engine where as part of the leadership team, which has for years mapped out successful blueprints for development, she helped create a comprehensive “Pivot Playbook” to plan Tucson’s post-pandemic resurgence and seize the opportunities brought on by national rankings and media mentions of it as a top 10 region to recover.
“When I started in my current position 15 years ago, Tucson was not on the national radar,” she said. “Fast forward to today, and our name is beginning to appear alongside Austin, Portland, others. Now, I feel we’re on the cusp of really being cool. I want Tucson to be the buzz of the nation.”
Shaw came to Sun Corridor with two decades of marketing, stakeholder engagement, revenue generation and strategic planning experience and has since worked on numerous boards, including most recently Visit Tucson, Eller College of Management National Advisory Board, MAP Dashboard and Bayer Community Advisory Panel.
“When we moved here 20 years ago, I decided to get involved in as many facets of the Tucson region as I could so that I could understand the community deeply,” she said. “I want to leave Tucson in a better position for my kids – and their kids. Being in a position to have an impact on that is pretty awesome.”
“I believe there are two critical keys to leadership: Be a problem solver, and build relationships that can stand the test of disagreement and difference of opinion. In business, I believe it all comes down to relationships. Nothing happens without that.”
Sun Corridor Inc. President & CEO Joe Snell said, “Laura is an outstanding leader. Her attention to detail and problem-solving abilities have helped propel our economy forward.”
