STILLWATER, OKLA. - National Wrestling Hall of Fame Executive Director Lee Roy Smith calls him a behind-the-scenes star who has done so much through thick and thin.

Jim Keen, the Chairman of the Board for the Hall of Fame, says he is one of the true heroes for the sport.

You may not have heard of Rusty Shaw of Stillwater, Okla., but those in the know can tell you that he is an important reason that the sport of wrestling has such an outstanding and successful Hall of Fame and Museum.

This weekend, when many of the most famous wrestlers and coaches in history are honored for their lifetime achievements in the sport, Shaw will take great pride in the Wrestling Hall of Fame and how much it means to the city that he loves.

"I enjoy doing it," says Shaw, who serves on the Hall of Fame's Board of Governors and helps out with its operation every week. "I love the celebration of the sport. These are tremendous athletes who don't get worldwide recognition for what they do. I do what I can both financially and with my time."

Stillwater is the home of Oklahoma State Univ., which has won more NCAA Div. I titles in the sport of wrestling than any other school in any other sport. It is fair to say that wrestling has always been a big deal in Stillwater. Shaw learned to love the sport as a fan by growing up in wrestling-hungry Stillwater.

"Everybody in Stillwater followed Oklahoma State wrestling. Myron Roderick was the coach then. They filled Gallagher Iba Arena for every wrestling match. Jack Brisco wrestled there, and he was the older brother of Gerald Brisco, who I knew. Mike Redding wrestled for OSU, and he was a year older. I watched him go through. There were great guys in the sport. They were my idols," said Shaw.

It was Roderick, who later became a driving force behind the creation and development of the Hall of Fame, who played an important role in getting Shaw much more involved in wrestling.

"My brother was a wrestler for Stillwater High School," said Shaw. "I think he was in junior high at the time. My first remembrance was when Myron Roderick came to my mother and said 'that boy will have bad ears. Let me take him and get his ears drained.' He took my brother down to Doc Cooper, who helped him out. My family didn't have much money. My parents were very appreciative."

Rusty Shaw went on to attend Oklahoma State, and spent a few years in the Navy. He came back to his hometown in 1970 and went into business. Over the years, Shaw has become successful in the petroleum marketing industry. His company, Oncue Marketing, owns and operates 42 retail convenience stores.

Roderick, who moved from his legendary coaching career into being the first Executive Director of USA Wrestling, later became the chief executive at the Hall of Fame. Never shy about promoting the sport, Roderick reached out to Shaw for some sponsorship help years after he fixed his brothers ears.

"About 13 years ago, Myron looked at me and said, 'Is there any way you can put some advertising on our digital sign here?' I told him by next fall, I could get him into the budget. I also told him, once you get into the budget, don't forget to call me or you won't stay there. Myron always called," said Shaw.

When a need came up for local leadership for the Hall of Fame, Roderick went back to Shaw.

"Myron said we didn't have anybody from Stillwater now on the Board of Governors. He said he would like me to be on the Board. I said I was not a rich man, but he said with the advertising, I had done as much as many of the others. So I started in. And one thing led to another," said Shaw.

Shaw has been involved for a decade, and has seen many changes in the Hall of Fame, not only with the facility but also with its management. One of the major adjustments came after Roderick suffered a stroke, and later retired from his position. Another wrestling leader with a strong connection to Oklahoma State, Lee Roy Smith, came on board as the new chief executive.

In addition to his duties on the Board, Shaw was asked to be involved in financial operations of the organization as a treasurer, signing checks for the Hall and working with Smith on other matters. He comes by the Hall a minimum of two or three days a week, doing what he can to help in all kinds of different ways.

"I am doing what anybody would do sitting in this spot. Everybody has worked so hard, helping the Hall get right side up. I come by a few times a week. I sign the checks, OK the bills, give Lee Roy my thoughts about what is happening with the Hall of Fame," said Shaw. "They needed a guy like me involved in finance. You need a local guy and an Executive Director. But it has to be someone who cares about it. He has to have a flavor for it, and want it to do well."

Smith has a wealth of wrestling expertise, including a career featuring an NCAA title and World silver medalist as an athlete, and coaching stints as USA Wrestling's Freestyle National Coach and the head coach at Arizona State. He also worked a number of years in athletic fundraising. He is grateful for all the business knowledge that Rusty Shaw has brought to the Hall of Fame and his commitment to excellence in its operations.

"What makes him such a valuable asset to the organization and to me is that he brings a wealth of experience from the business sector," said Smith. "He strives to ensure that the organization justifies itself to best business practices. He is a great mentor, and I appreciate that."

One of his big contributions to the Hall was the development of the parking lot rental program. The Hall of Fame's parking lot sits directly next to Oklahoma State's arena and football stadium, a prime location for people who want to have easy access to sporting events on campus.

"I came up with the parking lot idea," said Shaw. "I said 'Why don't we use our parking lot for rental.' It has become substantial. That first year, I was able to sell nine spots for $300 each. Now it is all sold out and we get over $60,000 a year. That was an asset that we were not using."

Since Shaw has joined the Board of Governors, he has seen more local involvement and pride in the Hall of Fame among the city and the state.

"The city enjoys the Hall of Fame. It celebrates it. Our mayor Roger McMillen enjoys the sport. He knew about wrestling growing up because of OSU. The state has gotten more involved. We have also gotten Calvin Anthony on the Board. He is on the OSU Board of Regents. He is head of the Chamber of Commerce. He has been a state rep. He is Stillwater. That is a tremendous thing. It is a lot of help for the Hall. I really feel good about Stillwater. It truly recognizes the Hall," said Shaw.

"He has helped this organization within Stillwater, within the region and within the state," said Smith. "He works on our behalf through his network of contacts, in an array of revenue generating sources. He has made a big difference."

One of the highlights for Shaw is Honors Weekend, when people from around the nation come into Stillwater to celebrate the sport and its legacy. This allows him to enjoy two of his passions, wrestling and his home town.

"I love that they come in and spend time in Stillwater. It is a neat exposure of the town for all these people who come here. Most of the wrestling community hasn't been to Stillwater. They come to the town, look it over, and see the changes that happen each year," he said.

Although Shaw is very busy with his business, he makes sure to block off the first weekend of June each year to be involved in all aspects of Honors Weekend. There are many things about Honors Weekend that Shaw enjoys. 

"I enjoy the social function on Friday evening. That is where I see old friends and where I make new relationships. I'll meet so-and-so. I know the names but have never met them. People get to mingle and to talk. It is super," said Shaw.

Looking back over his decade of service with the Hall, Shaw has seen many successes and changes that the Hall of Fame can be proud of.

"As I look back over the past decade, since I came aboard, the Hall of Fame seemed so small," said Shaw. "Since I have been here, they have added the John Vaughan Wing, have remodeled and are currently in the process of remodeling again. It is fun and exciting to see how far it has come during my tenure. This year, they have sold out 300 seats at the banquet. I remember when it was much less than that."

"Seeing the State Chapter program survive and grow is perhaps the biggest achievement," he continued. "The reason it might not survive was it was a financial drain on the Hall in the beginning. Mike Clair has done a great job with the program. One of the successes is the State Chapter program is entrenched. It is the grass roots of celebrating the sport."

Shaw also has found that the wrestling family is a great place to spend his time as a volunteer and a leader. He has had many leadership positions in his community and his industry, including serving as president of the Oklahoma Petroleum Marketing Association. But the wrestling community is something special to him.

"The wrestling world is a whole group of people who I enjoy. They are great people, classy people. They have all been a great experience for me. I have truly enjoyed the people I have met while serving on the Board," he said.

Yet Shaw remains a quiet force within wrestling and has made his impact in his own way, without fanfare.

"He puts in a lot of volunteer hours, and we are very thankful for that," said Smith. "We know his time is precious. He doesn't have to have this in his life. We are thankful he chooses to make this a priority. He has done it through thick and thin. He is not afraid to say what might be unpopular. He is attentive and very responsible and diligent. He provides valuable input in so many ways."

"I don't like the limelight. I enjoy being in the background, watching things go. I shy away from all of that," said Shaw.

Spoken like a true hero.