He studied at Sheffield Scientific School at Yale University and was later employed at B.F. Goodrich Co. for many years, working his way up to become vice president of factory operations.
In 1934, Summit County commissioners changed the name of the Springfield Lake Sanatorium to the Edwin C. Shaw Sanatorium because of his work for the benefit of the tuberculosis hospital, which is now known as the Edwin Shaw Hospital for Rehabilitation.
It has since become a rehabilitation center at Akron General Health System for patients with strokes, spinal cord injuries and other serious conditions.
[3] However, Shaw is arguably best known for founding Akron Community Foundation with a bequest of more than $1 million in 1955.
In his will drawn up in 1934, Shaw expressed his desire to provide a means for residents to make charitable gifts with a flexibility of purpose “to meet the changes in the community needs wrought by the passage of time and the variance in circumstances.” Shaw’s initial gift of $1,033,533 was soon followed by gifts and bequests from many other civic-minded citizens who wished to enjoy sound and faithful administration of their philanthropic plans.