Life’s full of risks and Stacy Shaw’s mantra is “safety first.” When he walks through the doors of his workplace each morning he prepares for battle as the head of information systems, ready to face the dangers of the cyber world lurking in the dark corners of the internet.
It doesn’t hurt that he’s earned a third-degree black belt in Ketsugo, which has taught him persistence and discipline in times of uncertainty — two most valuable traits that have served him well in the IT world.
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He began his martial arts training over 20 years ago while in high school. He grew up in Mars Hill on his family’s potato farm. He attended Central Aroostook HS, played sports, enjoyed academics and in his spare time kept his younger sister out of trouble.
He was the kid who followed the rules and took life seriously, which is something he attributes to growing up on a farm.
“Being able to have responsibility at a young age is something I think is great for a lot of kids and I certainly felt very lucky to be brought up that way,” he said.
After five years at UMO he graduated with a double major in computers and electrical engineering.
“I’ve always had an interest in electronics, computers, programming.”
His first job as a programmer was at MMG and he’s been there for almost 19 years, working his way up to vice president and IS manager.
“This is a fantastic field. I don’t know anything different. You’re constantly learning.”
When he started at at the Presque Isle insurance services company there were around 75 employees and now the company has just crested 200, while sales have quadrupled.
For the past 15 years, when he wants to relax he puts a call out to his buddies and travels halfway around the world to climb mountains.
He’s climbed Mt. Rainier in Washington, Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia and more. He’s even been to base camp at Mt. Everest.
“I’ve been all over. Part of it’s the adventure, part of it’s going to another part of the world and experiencing the culture.”
Shaw and a close group of friends are on a mission to climb the seven summits — the tallest peaks in every continent.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever get to all of them.”
Before each adventure there’s a wealth of planning including conference calls and endless email chains. Then there’s the physical training so their bodies can complete the destined trek.
“You learn persistence, you learn discipline, you learn patience. So those are all fantastic things. Getting to another part of the world and seeing other cultures really gives you a broader perspective on a lot of things, the most important I believe is how fortunate we are here in the U.S. as Americans.”
Shaw is the guy you want protecting the flock or watching your back. He’s calm, cool and collected. His martial arts training has heightened his awareness of his surroundings. And his adventures around the world have taught him that persistence pays off.
“When you do things like that and push your body beyond limits you never thought you could accomplish, it tells you things about yourself you didn’t know.”
When he’s not on a mountain top or patrolling MMG’s digital infrastructure, he’s at home in Mapleton, patiently waiting for the next adventure or cyber threat, where he’ll spring into action and show the world no one messes with Stacy Shaw.
