Lewis Shaw II, a longtime Dallas real estate executive and founder of national development firm Jackson-Shaw, died last week after a brief illness.
Shaw was 82 at the time of his death in Dallas on March 5. Funeral services are scheduled to be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 5, at Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home in North Dallas.
"Our heartfelt sympathies go to his family and friends in this difficult time," said Jackson-Shaw President and CEO Michele Wheeler in a statement. "He was more than a leader — he was a mentor, a friend and an inspiration to all who had the privilege of knowing him. His handshake was firm, his word golden and his heart was always open."
Shaw earned a bachelor's degree in liberal arts in 1966 from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. He then served seven years as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He moved to Dallas in the early 1970s to work for computer company IBM. He took his experience from IBM and joined J.C. Jackson Co. as a construction manager and leasing agent in 1974.
Shaw later bought the business after the company's founder died, transforming it from a small operation into one of the top build-to-suit and speculative real estate development firms in the United States. During his career, Shaw helped Jackson-Shaw develop over 63 million square feet of real estate valued at $2.5 billion with notable projects including Lakeview Business District in Rowlett, Texas; ATX 130 Business Park in Austin, Texas; and Post Oak Logistics Park in Houston.
Jackson-Shaw has built industrial projects spanning the country from Las Vegas to Denver to Washington, D.C., in addition to the 21 hotels the company developed in various U.S. markets, including Las Vegas, Phoenix and Fort Worth, Texas.
Beyond Jackson-Shaw, Shaw co-founded American General Hospitality Inc. in 1980, which became a publicly traded real estate investment trust in 1996. The REIT merged with Meristar REIT and Interstate Hotels & Resorts.
Shaw had a passion for design and graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
In his professional career, Shaw was actively involved in numerous civic and national organizations, including serving on the Wittenberg University board of directors. He also had a lifelong love of flying and traveled extensively throughout the country in his own aircraft.
Shaw was inducted into the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors (NTCAR) Hall of Fame in 2003. In the industry group's famed book celebrating the recipients of the prestigious award, Shaw said there are "the three C's in real estate — collateral, character and credit" that "are still touchstones of the real estate industry more so than any other business," which is one of the reasons he enjoyed working in the sector.