Tracy Shaw-Peterman
The last four years have been busy for REALTOR® Tracy Shaw-Peterman as she began a new career, became active with the Community Service Committee for the Capital Area REALTORS® and helped create the Sherman Area Chamber of Commerce from scratch.
“I feel this business allows us to meet some pretty incredible people who have had some pretty amazing journeys,” says Shaw-Peterman, “and I am fortunate that it allows me great flexibility to build my business, give back to the community and raise a family.”
The year was 2012 when Shaw-Peterman was approached to form an area Chamber of Commerce while seeking approval of another small project idea. Using only a directory of businesses, Shaw-Peterman orchestrated a meeting with the owners of the local businesses to discuss the merits of advocacy, sharing information, fundraising and networking. And in 2013, the Sherman Area Chamber of Commerce (SACC) was established.
Shaw-Peterman, who is in her second term as president of the SACC board, is grateful for the enthusiasm that members show whether it’s for the revitalizing of the Sherman Homecoming or supporting other special events. It is not unusual for businesses that compete for customers to work together for the greater good. “Our job is to grow our community and everybody offers something a little bit different,” she says. “Everybody has a role. Everybody is unique.”
Shaw-Peterman has served three years on the Community Service Committee and will be chair for the upcoming year. Each year, the committee chooses a charity to receive contributions that in recent years have totaled between $15,000 and $18,000 from the Capital Area REALTORS®. In the last two years, Friends of Sangamon County Animal Control and the Refuge Ranch in Rochester were the selections.
“It is a wonderful committee to serve on. It is always so hard for the committee to choose which charity to help. But once the decision is made, you get to know people who run the charity and more about the good work they do.”
Shaw-Peterman also serves on the local association’s Social Committee and will be vice chair of that committee. She is also a volunteer for many different school activities in Sherman where her two children attend.
Prior to starting her real estate career, she earned a business management degree from the University of Illinois. She is a broker for the Real Estate Group in Springfield and has two other members on her team, office assistant Lori Batson, and sales broker Charlie Waugh.
Read the Illinois REALTORS® blog for weekly stories about the community involvement of Illinois REALTORS® during the association’s 100th anniversary year. If you have an idea for a REALTOR® to highlight with an article, please send it to: [email protected]. To read more stories like this one, go to: https://www.illinoisrealtors.org/membermonday #MemberMonday
