Ralph R. Shaw is a graduate of Hofstra University, earning a degree in Public Accounting, and of New York University’s School of Law where he received a Juris Doctor degree. He has attended the Financial Analyst Federation’s Investment Analysis Seminar at Rockford, Illinois, the Advanced Investment Management course at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Business, and the Harvard Business School Compensation Committees: New Challenges, New Solutions Seminar.
His experience in the securities business extends over forty years, encompassing securities analysis, institutional securities marketing, mutual fund portfolio management, and the management of investment portfolios for tax-exempt clients, including pension and profit sharing plans, as well as the charities and endowments.
He has served on the Professional Conduct Committee of the Financial Analysts’ Federation, as trustee of the Portland Youth Philharmonic, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, the Oregon Episcopal School, the Portland Center for the Visual Arts, Self Enhancement, Inc., the Rob Strasser Foundation, Portland Repertory Theatre, and the Oregon Graduate Institute.
He has also served on the Investment Committee of the Oregon Governor’s Committee of Economic Development and Portland Community College Foundation and as director of the Oregon Resource and Technology Development Corporation, Oregon Business Media, the City of Portland Financial Task Force, and as President for the Sisters of Providence Oregon Community Health Board. He serves as chairman of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors for the State of Oregon, and is a member of St. Vincent’s Medical Foundation Council of Trustees, the Governor’s Council of Revenue Forecast Advisors for the State of Oregon, the Board of Advisors for the World Affairs Council, and the Council of Advisors for Providence Health Systems, and serves as a trustee for the Tax-Free Trust of Oregon.
Following two years of public accounting experience, Ralph R. Shaw joined Standard & Poor’s Corporation as a securities analyst and investment advisor. In 1965, he formed the Institutional Securities Analysis and Marketing Department of Coleman and Company, a New York Stock Exchange member firm. Subsequently, he was an institutional securities analyst for Wertheim and Company.
In 1967, Ralph R. Shaw joined Shareholders Management Company, Los Angeles, California, as Vice President, Director of Research and Portfolio Manager of the Enterprise Fund. During 1967, the Enterprise Fund enjoyed substantial success, ending the year ranked first of all mutual funds in terms of performance. In 1968, with the formation of the Fletcher Capital Fund by Shareholders Management Company, he managed a portion of that fund, again achieving high national ranking.
In 1974, Mr. Shaw joined United States National Bank of Oregon as Vice President and Manager of the newly formed Investment Counseling Department providing investment advice and management to corporate employee benefit funds and charitable endowments. During his tenure at U.S. Bank, the equity accounts managed by this department consistently ranked at the top of all professionally managed equity funds in the United States.
In 1980, Ralph Shaw formed Shaw Management Company, an investment counseling firm. In January 1983, Ralph Shaw and U.S. Bancorp with Shaw acting as General Partner formed Shaw Venture Partners. Shaw Venture Partners II was organized in June 1987. Shaw Venture Partners III was approved as a Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) in September 1994, bringing total venture capital assets available for investment to $80 million.
Ralph Shaw has been a leading venture capitalist in the Western United States emphasizing the Pacific Northwest, since he formed his first fund with US Bancorp in 1983. Mr. Shaw presently serves on the boards of directors of Schnitzer Steel, Inc., Telestream, Inc., BMG Seltec, Rentrak Corporation, the United Fund Advisors, and One To One Interactive.
Mr. Shaw previously served on the boards of Costco Wholesale Corporation, Star Technologies, Inc., Sentrol, Inc., Electro-Scientific Industries, Riedel Environmental Technologies, Inc., BMG Corporation, Sports Incorporated, Trade Interface Corporation, Suasa Unik (M) Sdn Bhd, Habitech, Ltd., TRM Copy Centers, K-2 Designs, Inc., Ostex International, Inc., Sweet Factory, Inc., Will Vinton Studios, Inc., WebCriteria, Inc., Serveron Corporation., Industrial Devices Corporation, 3PF.com, Inc., Magni Systems, Inc., Dendreon Corporation, Integra Telecom, Inc., LaTIS, Inc., and the Portland Family of Funds.